No drainage & poor sanitation causes outbreak of diarrhoea
Raipur: A diarrhoea outbreak in Thetha Debri Basti of Shanti Nagar, Bilaspur, affected around 40 residents, including children, due to poor sanitation and suspected consumption of contaminated water.
Chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Pramod Tiwari informed that while the situation is currently under control, five patients are still undergoing treatment—three at the state-run Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur, and two in a private hospital.
Authorities identified unhygienic conditions—particularly illegal settlements near a stagnant pond with no drainage—as the likely cause.
Municipal officials plan to take corrective action after summer.
According to Dr Tiwari, the outbreak was first reported on May 26 when 28 individuals presented symptoms of diarrhoea, creating an alarming situation. However, all were treated with preliminary care and discharged as their condition was not serious. "There were no critical cases among the initial group, but we remain vigilant," he said.
Preliminary investigations point to contaminated water and poor sanitation in the area as the root causes of the outbreak.
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"Drainage in the locality was not properly maintained, which contributed to the spread of infection," Dr Tiwari added.
Further civic intervention to improve sanitation infrastructure in the area is expected in the coming days.
Bilaspur Municipal Corporation (BMC) health officer Anupam Tiwari, who is monitoring the arrangements at the Basti, told TOI that the corporation team collected water samples and tested them, but no contamination was detected. He said the cause of the outbreak appeared to be the unhygienic conditions in the area.
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