Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Shimla battles worst jaundice outbreak since 1947
Gaurva Bisht, Hindustan Times, Shimla | Updated: Feb 28, 2016 11:06 IST
People allege civic authorities waited a week to suspend drinking water supply from Ashwani Khud that was found to be contaminated with the Hepatitis E virus, which caused the outbreak. By then, 25% of Shimla?s population was affected. (HT Photot)
Share 24 Share Share Share
More than two months after the first cases of jaundice were reported in the third week of December last year, Shimla continues to grapple with the state?s biggest jaundice outbreak since Independence.
Official data shows 10 people have died and 1,600 developed jaundice, but unofficial estimates put the number higher ? at over 10,000. ?The health department is clueless. It did not carry out a door-to-door survey to assess the magnitude of the outbreak,? said Rakesh Bhardwaj, state surveillance officer.
Amita Chauhan, 38, is a worried mother of two young children. ?After civic authorities issued directions to drink boiled and chlorinated water and to clean the water storage tanks, I replaced our old tank with a new one. Now, I use filtered and boiled water for drinking,? said Chauhan, who lives in Shimla?s Vikas Nagar neighbourhood.
People allege civic authorities waited a week to suspend drinking water supply from Ashwani Khud that was found to be contaminated with the Hepatitis E virus, which caused the outbreak. By then, 25% of Shimla?s population was affected.
...
Dr Ramesh Chand, senior medical superintendent of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, said the hospital had witnessed the maximum number of patients per day in mid-January. ?Initially, there were fewer cases each day. In the middle of January, 60-70 cases of jaundice were witnessed in hospitals daily,? said Dr Chand. He added, ?Now, the number has reduced to around 10.?
...
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...-since-1947/story-I3LhFdiCO0TjuYGaYXs8sK.html
Gaurva Bisht, Hindustan Times, Shimla | Updated: Feb 28, 2016 11:06 IST
People allege civic authorities waited a week to suspend drinking water supply from Ashwani Khud that was found to be contaminated with the Hepatitis E virus, which caused the outbreak. By then, 25% of Shimla?s population was affected. (HT Photot)
Share 24 Share Share Share
More than two months after the first cases of jaundice were reported in the third week of December last year, Shimla continues to grapple with the state?s biggest jaundice outbreak since Independence.
Official data shows 10 people have died and 1,600 developed jaundice, but unofficial estimates put the number higher ? at over 10,000. ?The health department is clueless. It did not carry out a door-to-door survey to assess the magnitude of the outbreak,? said Rakesh Bhardwaj, state surveillance officer.
Amita Chauhan, 38, is a worried mother of two young children. ?After civic authorities issued directions to drink boiled and chlorinated water and to clean the water storage tanks, I replaced our old tank with a new one. Now, I use filtered and boiled water for drinking,? said Chauhan, who lives in Shimla?s Vikas Nagar neighbourhood.
People allege civic authorities waited a week to suspend drinking water supply from Ashwani Khud that was found to be contaminated with the Hepatitis E virus, which caused the outbreak. By then, 25% of Shimla?s population was affected.
...
Dr Ramesh Chand, senior medical superintendent of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, said the hospital had witnessed the maximum number of patients per day in mid-January. ?Initially, there were fewer cases each day. In the middle of January, 60-70 cases of jaundice were witnessed in hospitals daily,? said Dr Chand. He added, ?Now, the number has reduced to around 10.?
...
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...-since-1947/story-I3LhFdiCO0TjuYGaYXs8sK.html