Diarrhoea has spread its tentacles from Talagarh gram panchayat of Korei block to neighbouring villages in Jajpur district. Over 20 new diarrhoea patients, including three schoolchildren, have been admitted to various Government hospitals from Mangarajpur and Upulai villages since Tuesday.
The water-borne infectious disease had earlier claimed two lives and left over a hundred sick in Kantajharigarh, Jhumpan, Talagarh, Naguan and Uppargarh under Talagarh panchayat of Korei block in the last five days.
While ten patients were admitted to the Area hospital at Jajpur Road, two patients were admitted to Korei hospital. Similarly, more than eight persons are undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital.
According to health officials, new cases of diarrhea are being reported from neighbouring areas of the affected villages and the health administration is keeping vigil over the situation. The water bodies in the affected and sensitive areas are being disinfected while a special health team is camping at Mangarajpur and Upulai villages that recently witnessed outbreak of diarrhea.
Diarrhoea has become an annual feature in many villages of Korei block. last year too, the epidemic broke out twice in this block leaving over fifty affected and a death was also reported. In 2011, at least 32 people of Sunachara village of the block were affected by the disease and as many as 35 people had fallen ill at Nahanakula village under the block in 2010.
"Every year, diarrhoea hits these areas. But the annual outbreak of the disease has not woken up the local health administration and district health officials from slumber. It’s only after one or two persons die that the agencies generally get into action," lamented a local resident. Official sources said poor sanitary conditions and contaminated drinking water seem to be the main reasons for diarrhoea cases in the region.