Indore diarrhoea outbreak: Audit report links 15 of 21 deaths to contaminated water

An audit report has been submitted to the Indore administration into the deaths of 21 people in Bhagirathpura, with its findings suggesting that 15 of the fatalities may be linked to a recent outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea in the area, according to a PTI report quoting sources.

Diarrhoea outbreak in Indore

Five new cases of diarrhoea, suspected to be linked to the consumption of contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura, Indore, the country’s cleanest city, were reported on Tuesday (January 13), a Madhya Pradesh health department official said.

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Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani said the newly reported diarrhoea patients from Bhagirathpura visited the outpatient departments (OPDs) of health centres, where they received treatment.

The local administration has so far confirmed the deaths of six persons due to vomiting and diarrhoea caused by drinking contaminated water. However, local residents claimed 23 patients, including a six-month-old child, have died so far due to the outbreak.

Audit report flags unrelated deaths

Meanwhile, a committee from the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore has submitted an 'audit' report to the administration on the deaths of 21 persons in Bhagirathpura.

PTI sources familiar with the contents of the report on Tuesday said 15 of these deaths may be linked to the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in some way.

"A committee of senior doctors from the college was formed to analyse the causes of the deaths in Bhagirathpura. This committee has submitted its report," District Magistrate Shivam Verma told reporters on Tuesday.

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Verma, however, did not provide specific details about the 'death audit' report.

He said some fatalities in Bhagirathpura were likely due to vomiting and diarrhoea caused by unclean drinking water, but the deaths of some patients were unrelated to the outbreak.

District administration assures support

The committee could not reach any conclusion regarding the actual cause of death in some other cases, said the senior bureaucrat.

District Magistrate said the administration has so far provided financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to 18 affected families in Bhagirathpura.

"All the deaths in Bhagirathpura are very sad, regardless of the cause. We are consoling the affected families and providing them financial assistance," Verma said.

A total of 436 patients were admitted to hospitals since the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak, triggered by the supply of contaminated drinking water in the locality on December 29, of whom 403 were discharged after recovery, the CMHO stated.

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Currently, 33 patients are hospitalised, of whom eight are in intensive care units (ICUs) of hospitals, he added.

(With agency inputs)