BHAWANIPATNA: AS many as 24 persons have been affected by gastroenteritis in the last two days in Baldiamal village of Kalahandi district.

While the affected persons are undergoing treatment at Junagarh hospital and District Headquarters Hospital in Bhawanipatna, a medical team, including an epidemiologist and additional district medical officer, is camping in the village.

Epidemiologist Dr Susil Rath attributed the outbreak to consumption of contaminated water and said those affected are recovering. Steps are being taken to sensitise people and disinfection of drinking water sources.

The village has a piped water supply system under which, water is pumped from river Hati, directed to an overhead tank from where it is supplied to the villagers by PHED.Water samples from the overhead tank and other sources have been sent for tests. Rath said the PHED officials have been asked to disinfect the tank.