indore-water-contamination-38-new-cases-of-diarrhoea-detected

Indore’s Bhagirathpura primary health centre saw at least 38 new cases of vomiting and diarrhoea on Monday that are linked to intake of contaminated water, said health officials.

Meanwhile, 110 patients are currently admitted in hospitals for treatment, with 15 in ICUs, the officials added. Indore Divisional Commissioner, Sudam Khade, told reporters that the official death toll is seven, as per the health department. Locals, however, peg the total number of deaths from intake of contaminated water to 17.

The health scare has the district health department on its toes, with household surveys being conducted in the affected area and residents being urged to use chlorinated water. Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr. Madhav Prasad Hasani had directed around 200 teams to be deployed in the area to visit pre-marked houses and conduct surveys.

The department is making use of the Kobo tool under directions from the Central government’s regional heath director, Dr. Chandrashekhar Gedam. The tool enables real-time assessment of field conditions, officials informed.

 

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The teams have also been distributing ORS packets, zinc tablets, and Clean Water dropper to households, as per an official statement, with residents asked to add eight to 10 drops of the clean water solution to 10 litres of water and use it after an hour for purification.

Additionally, teams comprising a doctor, a nursing officer, a community health officer and an ASHA worker as well as an ANM also shared toll-free helpline numbers, and displayed proper hand-washing methods along with instructions to use only boiled water. 

So far, 2,745 households had been covered in a day, while five ambulances stationed in the area with doctors deployed round the clock at the direction of district collector, Shivam Verma. 

Free treatment, tests and medicines are also being provided to patients visiting private hospitals, the statement said, adding that most patients are being referred to MY Hospital and Aurobindo Hospital, while children are being referred to Chacha Nehru Hospital.