Maharashtra surpasses 2021’s cholera cases in seven months, reports most fatalities in a decade

In pre-pandemic 2019, the state had witnessed 223 cholera cases. A year after reporting no cholera cases in 2020, the number of cases climbed to 176 in 2021. This counts as an average of 15 cases per month.

However, on July 20 this year, the cases further climbed to 261. While 95 per cent of the cases are from Amravati district, in the last one week, increasing number of cases have been witnessed in Yavatmal and Washim as well.

According to the Union government’s National Health Portal (NHP), cholera is an intestinal infection that is caused when a person consumes contaminated food or water. It is usually seen in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene. Till July 20, the state has witnessed six deaths related to cholera – the highest to be recorded in a decade in Maharashtra. In 2019, the state had recorded three deaths. In the next two years, no deaths were reported amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “The highest number of fatalities were reported in 2011-12 in Solapur when over a dozen people died,” said an official.

This year, the cholera outbreak started in Chikhaldara and Amravati blocks of Amravati on July 7. Three villages of Chikhaldara block (Dongri, Koylari and Ghana) and one village (Naya Akola) in Amravati block have been affected.

District Health Officer Dr Dilip Ranmale said that they have not been able to find the epidemiological reason behind the outbreak. “We are unable to correlate the cases. These are all independent cases… Some more cases are being reported from other districts as well, making the situation more puzzling,” he added. However, Dr Pradeep Awate, the state surveillance officer, said that heavy rainfall that led to flooding in Vidarbha might be behind the rise in cases. “During monsoon, water supply schemes get disrupted and people start drinking unsourced water, which can be contaminated, causing cholera.”

All the deaths have been reported at home or at primary health centres. Officials said delay in seeking treatment is also a reason behind deaths. “Most of these areas are tribal-dominated where people are often hesitant to opt for treatment. There are also language barriers,” said Awate.The other districts that have recorded heavy rainfall have been alerted to keep an eye on suspected cases and check the sources of drinking water and other possible ways by which one can contract a water-borne disease.