As many as 12 children between the age group of two to 15 years have been reeling under jaundice in a couple of villages under Pattamundai block in Kendrapara district for a week, confirmed CDMO Binayak Prasad Prusty.
According to Prusty, as many as four children in the age group of two to five years have been suffering from jaundice in Kakharuni village under Khadianta GP, whereas eight children in the age group of five to 15 years are suffering at Balipatana village under Balabhadrapur GP.
Two medical teams from Pattamundai hospital and the DHH on Saturday visited the affected villages and provided treatment to the ailing patients. They collected patients’ blood samples and also water samples from tube-wells of the two villages.
The samples would be tested at the Pathology Department and the Microbiology Department at the SCB Medical College Hospital. On availability of report, exact reason behind the jaundice outbreak can be ascertained, an official said.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has primarily attributed the outbreak to the intake of contaminated and unhygienic water in the said villages. It has also asked the RWSS department to disinfect the tube-wells soon to check possible spread of the water-borne disease.
“The department has taken all precautionary measures to contain the situation keeping a close watch on the patients. The situation is being monitored closely,” said the CDMO, adding that the situation is under control and nobody is seriously sick.