Cholera cases detected in Odisha's Ganjam district

A number of cholera cases have been detected from the diarrhoea affected Polasara area in Odisha's Ganjam district, officials said today.
Over 50 persons were affected by diarrhoea in Polasara and five nearby villages since Diwali.
Out of eight stool samples tested at the microbiology department of MKCG Medical College here, two have tested positive for cholera, said Additional District Medical Officer (public health) R Jagadees Patnaik.
While one cholera positive case was detected from Polasara town, the other was detected from Jilundi located close to the town, he said.
Medical officials had sent water and stool samples for testing in the labrotary from the diarrhoea affected areas, the ADMO said.

Medical officers suspected that the outbreak of the bacterial disease was due to consumption of contaminated water.

Diarrhoea was first detected in the district on October 19 and the number of patients gradually increased, officials said.
Claiming that the situation was now under control, the ADMO said four patients are undergoing treatment at a community health centre (CHC) at present.
Stating that there is no reason to panic due to detection of cholera, he said several precautionary measures have been taken to check spread of the water-borne diseases.
"We have already provided necessary treatment to the family members of the affected persons," Patnaik said.

While water sources have been disinfected, Halogen tablets and ORS packets were distributed to the people in the affected areas.
"We have also alerted the medical officers in the community health centre in Polasara and asked the health workers to spread awareness among the people about the need to maintain personal hygiene and to consume boiled water," the ADMO added.