Diarrhoea outbreak claims 5 lives in Rourkela, over 100 hospitalised

Rourkela (Odisha), Dec 17 (PTI) Five people have died and over 120 hospitalised due to an outbreak of diarrhoea in Rourkela city, a health official said on Sunday.

Till Sunday morning, five people have died and more than 120 persons have admitted to hospitals in Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) due to the outbreak of diarrhoea in Rourkela city in the last three days, said Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM & PHO), Sundargarh, Dharani Ranjan Satpathy.

While two persons died on December 15, two deaths were reported on December 16 and another person died on Sunday, he said.

Every day over 25 to 30 diarrhoea patients are being received at Rourkela Government Hospital, said Sudharani Pradhan, director in-charge of the hospital.

She said that the patients came in a very low condition and were in shock and did not respond to the treatment.

"We have not found any common source for the spread of diarrhoea. Our medicine specialist believes this could be a viral one," Pradhan said.

The disease has spread mostly in the slum areas and nearby areas to Rourkela including Chhend, Tarkera, Panposh, Nalla Road, Plant Site, Labour Tenement and Birjapalli.

Meanwhile, the general manager, Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), Rourkela, Pratap Mohanty said, "We are on alert and formed three teams to attend to any complaint. We are going to each place to find any leakage in the water supply connections." PTI