A health official claimed on Sunday that five people died and another 120 were hospitalised as a result of a diarrhoea epidemic in Rourkela, news agency PTI reported. According to Dharani Ranjan Satpathy, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM & PHO), Sundargarh, five people have died and more than 120 have been admitted to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) due to an outbreak of diarrhoea in the city over the last three days.
Two people died on December 15, two people died on December 16, and another person died on Sunday, he added.
Every day, approximately 25 to 30 diarrhoea patients are admitted to Rourkela Government Hospital, according to Sudharani Pradhan, the hospital's director in charge.
She stated that the victims arrived in critical condition, were in shock, and did not react to therapy.
"We have not found any common source for the spread of diarrhoea. Our medicine specialist believes this could be a viral one," Pradhan was quoted by PTI in its report.
The illness has mostly spread in Rourkela's slums and surrounding regions, including Chhend, Tarkera, Panposh, Nalla Road, Plant Site, Labour Tenement, and Birjapalli.
Meanwhile, the general manager, Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), Rourkela, Pratap Mohanty said, "We are on alert and formed three teams to attend to any complaint. We are going to each place to find any leakage in the water supply connections."
What Is Diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea is defined as having three or more loose or liquid faeces (poos) in a single day, or more often than usual. You will notice an increase in the volume, wateriness, or frequency of your bowel motions if you have diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea is frequently caused by a stomach bug (gastroenteritis) and resolves on its own within a few days. There are, however, several additional causes of diarrhoea.
Most diarrhoea is minor, but it can often be severe, necessitating hospitalisation.
Diarrhoea occurs when not enough water is eliminated from the stool or when too much fluid is produced into the stool, causing it to become loose.
There are several causes of diarrhoea. It might be the result of a short-term illness that goes away in a few days, or it could be a symptom of a longer-term disease or chronic ailment.