Jaundice scare in Udala

BARIPADA: As many as 30 people of Nuasahi village in Udala block are reported to have been afflicted with jaundice, raising fears of hepatitis outbreak in the area.

A seven-member team of doctors and paramedics from the district headquarters hospital here rushed to the village on Friday to take stock of the situation. Medicines and halogen tablets to purify drinking water have been distributed among the villagers.

The team has collected water samples from the village well for testing and advised the villagers to not use the pond water.

A member of the team Dr Anup Abhisekh said consumption of contaminated water led to spread of the disease in the village.  “We have advised the villagers to boil water before drinking, avoid consulting quacks and stay away from alcohol,” he said.

Meanwhile, even as a few of those affected by the disease were admitted to Shridamachandrapur Community Health Centre (CHC), others are relying on quacks or homeopathic medicines.