States » EastPosted at: Jun 14 2025 5:01PM


Central Team to visit Diarrhoea-hit Jajpur District in Odisha on Sunday

Bhubaneswar, June 14 (UNI) A 14-member central team is arriving here on Saturday to assess the diarrhoea outbreak in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
The team, comprising experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), will visit the affected areas on Sunday to study the situation and suggest remedial measures to prevent the further spread of the disease, Director of Health Services Dr. Nilakantha Mishra said.
Dr. Mishra denied any large-scale cholera outbreak in the district but confirmed that out of 40 samples tested, five were found positive for cholera. However, these cases are not confined to a single cluster.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the diarrhoea outbreak, initially limited to Jajpur district, has now spread to Bhadrak, Keonjhar, and Cuttack districts.
Public Health Director Dr. Mishra further stated that contaminated drinking water is suspected to be the primary cause of the outbreak. Disinfection drives and public awareness campaigns have been intensified.
Sources said over 500 cases have been reported in Jajpur alone, with the worst-affected areas including Dharmasala, Danagadi, Korei, Rasulpur, and Vyasanagar Municipality.
In addition to contaminated water, the consumption of rotten mangoes and food served during mass feasts is believed to have contributed to the spread.
The Odisha Health Department has launched intensive response operations, deploying state-level medical teams comprising doctors, microbiologists, and epidemiologists.
Rapid Action Teams are conducting house-to-house surveys, distributing ORS packets, halogen tablets, and necessary medicines.
Drinking water sources in affected areas are being disinfected. Critical patients are being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for better care.
The outbreak was first reported in Dharmasala on June 9, 2025, and gradually spread to other parts of the district.
In response, the Jajpur district administration has banned community feasts, particularly during the ongoing Raja festival, which began on Saturday.
Residents have been advised to eat home-cooked meals, avoid food from outside vendors, and consume only boiled or filtered water. They are also urged to report any diarrhoea symptoms to the nearest health centre immediately.
Given the seriousness of the situation, government offices in Jajpur will remain open throughout the three-day Raja festival.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja chaired a high-level review meeting on Friday, attended by officials from the Health, Panchayati Raj, and Drinking Water departments. The meeting focused on cholera, diarrhoea, and other waterborne diseases, and finalised action plans to contain the spread.
The state government has urged people not to panic, assuring them that the situation is gradually coming under control.
Jajpur Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr. B.K. Bal said advisories have been issued, asking people to avoid drinking water from unreliable sources. Medical teams are conducting door-to-door visits in affected areas and closely monitoring the situation.
So far, official reports confirm four deaths due to diarrhoea, with hundreds of people undergoing treatment at various hospitals across the district. However, unofficial sources attributed ten deaths so far.
On Saturday, the district administration conducted raids on several food outlets and hotels, sealing some for serving unhygienic food.
Residents have also been instructed to avoid using rivers and other open water bodies and to refrain from open defecation. Authorities have ordered the disinfection of wells, water tanks, and other water sources in the affected areas.
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Tags: #Central Team to visit Diarrhoea-hit Jajpur District in Odisha on Sunday
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