26 taken ill with symptoms of viral diarrhoea in three villages of Belthangady taluk

Health department investigates water contamination in Belthangady taluk, Dakshina Kannada, causing dysentery outbreak; deploying healthcare workers for awareness and testing.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare has deployed more than 50 healthcare workers, including 40 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), to conduct house-to-house visits to find out the probable source of water contamination, which is believed to be the reason for some people developing dysentery and vomiting in Bandaru, Mogaru, and Ilantila villages of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada.

The survey follows the death of one Kamala in Bandaru, and 26 others taking ill with symptoms of dysentery and vomiting since May 13.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer H.R. Thimmaiah, who held a meeting in this connection in Bandaru on Saturday, told The Hindu that the infected persons showed symptoms of viral diarrhoea. The department personnel will submit a report to him within a week after ascertaining the probable reasons for those people taking ill, he said.

Dr. Thimmaiah said that of the 26, 10 persons, including the deceased, Kamala, were admitted as in-patients to different hospitals. Now, only four of the 10 patients are under treatment and are recovering.

The other six patients have been discharged, and the remaining 16 patients were treated as outpatients in different hospitals and clinics. The stool samples of the infected persons tested negative for cholera. The department is awaiting the results of the stool culture test, he said.

Ruling out reports that said the contamination of water at a wedding reception event in Bandaru resulted in an outbreak of the infection, Dr. Thimmaiah said dysentery and vomiting were also noticed among those who did not attend the reception. He also ruled out the possibility of contamination of the piped drinking water supplied to the three villages.

The DHO said the fatal infection that caused Kamala’s death was not due to the consumption of food, and the department is yet to ascertain the cause of her death, he said.