A cholera outbreak in Odisha’s Jajpur district has claimed at least five lives and left around 500 people hospitalised over the past week, prompting the central government to dispatch a 14-member expert team to the region. The team, comprising specialists from national and international health bodies, will assist local authorities in containing the spread of the disease, which has also triggered alerts in neighbouring districts, according to a report by The Indian Express.
The team includes specialists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and food safety authorities. They are expected to work closely with local officials to help contain the outbreak.
Several districts affected beyond Jajpur
According to officials, four blocks and one urban local body in Jajpur have been hit the hardest, though cases of cholera-related illnesses have also been reported from parts of Bhadrak, Keonjhar, and Cuttack districts.
“Out of the 41 faecal samples sent to the laboratory from Jajpur district, eight tested positive for Vibrio cholerae. The number of affected persons is being slowly decreasing,” said Nilakantha Mishra, director of public health in Odisha.
Although the official death toll stands at five, sources suggest that as many as 11 people may have died. Responding to these reports, Mishra said, “Only an autopsy can confirm the cause of death in the six other cases.”
Outbreak under control, say district officials
Prakash Chandra Bal, the chief district medical officer of Jajpur, said the outbreak is currently under control. “Monitoring the situation at the micro level” is ongoing, he said.
“Engineering departments, administrative wings and district administration have been working to ensure that the situation shouldn’t escalate further. Awareness is also being created in every panchayat,” Bal added.
In response to the crisis, the Jajpur district administration has cancelled all holidays from June 14 to 16 during the three-day Raja festival. All government offices in the district will remain open, and community feasts during the festival have been banned.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja reviewed the situation on Friday and instructed neighbouring districts to stay alert to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases.
