One dead 18 others affected in Odisha’s Koraput district

JEYPORE: A day after the death of a 60-year-old woman of Mediput village, her husband died of suspected diarrhoea at SLN Medical College and Hospital (MCH) of Koraput where he was undergoing treatment, on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Ram Jani.

Sources said, 18 villagers developed gastroenteritis in last three days, with six referred to the MCH on Monday. Chandrama Jani was the first to succumb. The others are receiving treatment in Mediput village and Nandapur CHC, and their condition is reported to be stable.

Meanwhile, a health team is conducting round-the-clock surveillance in the village, with an ambulance on standby to shift new patients to the hospital. The block administration also provided a water tanker to supply safe drinking water to the villagers after preliminary tests indicated contaminated water usage.

Koraput collector V Keerthi Vasan held a meeting with district medical officials and directed them to maintain proper surveillance in the affected village. He also advised conducting health surveys in nearby villages to prevent further spread.

“Our health staff are camping in the affected village, conducting door-to-door surveillance. No fresh cases have been reported on Tuesday,” said MK Khatua, public relation officer of CDMO, Koraput.