Several Undergoing Treatment at AH GMC Rajouri
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, June 27: An alarming case of waterborne illness has emerged from Dhar Sakri village in Rajouri district, where around 40 residents have fallen sick after reportedly consuming contaminated water.
Out of these, approximately 8 people are currently receiving treatment at the Associated Hospital GMC (AH GMC) Rajouri.
According to reports, two days ago, several individuals in the area suddenly began experiencing health issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. As time progressed, the number of affected people increased steadily.
Authorities believe the illness is linked to the consumption of contaminated water. Initially, a few individuals were sick, but within two days, the count rose to 40, with 8 requiring hospitalization at AHGMC Rajouri.
Most patients initially presented symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration.
Prof. (Dr.) A.S. Bhatia, Principal of GMC Rajouri, stated that under the supervision of Dr. Syed Shuja Qadri, HOD of Community Medicine, a team from the medical college visited the affected area on Friday.
Following a sudden surge in gastroenteritis cases in the Dhar Sakri village of Kandi block over the past 2-3 days, the team initiated a preliminary investigation into a suspected outbreak of acute gastroenteritis.
The team first visited CHC Kotranka, where they interacted with BMO Kotranka Dr. Vinod Bhatt and his medical staff to discuss the cluster of cases, the number of hospitalized patients, and the overall situation.
Subsequently, the team toured temporary medical camps set up near the affected village and collected data on patients presenting symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
The team also conducted a door-to-door survey in the village to gather detailed information about water sources, hygiene practices,
The Department of Microbiology has collected samples from water sources for laboratory analysis.
In addition, residents were educated on the importance of proper hand hygiene and preventive measures to control the spread of waterborne diseases.
As an immediate precautionary step, the team urged locals to boil drinking water before use and to store it in clean, covered containers.
They also emphasized the importance of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) in treating diarrhea to prevent dehydration.
So far, 40 mild cases have been reported, and thankfully, no fatalities have occurred. The medical team is awaiting the lab results of the water samples.
“Preliminary epidemiological investigations suggest that this is not an outbreak or epidemic but rather a localized set of gastroenteritis cases within the village,” said Principal GMC.
