SRINAGAR: A Jaundice outbreak has been reported at the Riyar area of Khansahib block in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. One person has been reported dead and eight others have tested positive for the disease.
Quoting a health official, KNO reported that so far eight jaundice cases have been reported in the area, and among them one person has died while the condition of seven others is stable.
He said that a 10-year-old boy identified as Abid, son of Ab Salam from Riyar village of Khansahib, who tested positive for jaundice, died two days before following a jaundice outbreak, triggered by the supply of contaminated water.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, Spokesperson of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) said that untiring efforts are being made at Raiyar for curbing jaundice by the surveillance and rapid response teams of block Khansahib. “Teams under the control of Incharge Medical Officer Raiyar, Dr Ishfaq Ahmad Banday are doing a tremendous job and have screened hundreds of people for detection of raising of serum Bilirubin. Simultaneously, on the other hand, pediatric patients have been seen by the Pediatrician at SDH, Khansahib,”
He added that the screening process is on and thousands of people have been screened so far in the area and the situation is well under control.
“1430 patients have been screened so far, 370 screened by pediatricians, 123 samples taken for investigation of jaundice, 30 patients are under surveillance, 160 samples taken for LFT, 438 samples taken for serum bilirubin, 10 taken for correlogram were found normal and three water samples were taken by IDSP.”
The remote area is located approximately eight kilometers from Block Headquarters and around 26 km from District Headquarters Budgam. The nearest health facility available is the PHC Riyar. “Situation regarding the intensity of this disease is well under control,” he said.
“ASHAs of concerned areas along with health workers have been distributing chlorine tablets and ORS packets among the inhabitants at door steps while field staff are continuously educating the people to take safe drinking water and also demonstrating the steps of hand washing to the people of this area,” Mir Mushtaq said.
