Diarrhoea outbreak in Longding
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 28 Jun: Following the death of two children in Konsa village in Longding district in mid-June after an outbreak of diarrhoea, the health & family welfare department said that some of the water samples showed “unacceptable qualities.”
Two children – a four-year-old and a seven-year-old -died during the outbreak while 20 others, mostly children, fell ill.
While it did not blame unsafe water for the deaths, the health department said that, of the six water samples drawn from public taps around Konsa village, three showed unacceptable quality.
The health department’s statement is in sharp contrast to the claims made by the PHE&WS department.
On 25 June, the Longding PHE&WS division had stated that it conducted a fact-finding inquiry into the diarrhoea outbreak and found that the cases were not related to the quality of drinking water as there were no diarrhoea causing bacteria.
“The team also disinfected the water supply system after collecting the samples. The water samples collected tested negative for presence of any diarrhoea causing bacteria. The water testing of samples done with FTK by a trained woman of the village also tested negative for bacteriological contamination,” the PHE&WS department’s press statement read, adding that water samples from the village had been sent to the state water testing laboratory in Itanagar for confirmation.
The health department said that it remains committed to containing the diarrhoea outbreak and safeguarding community health. “Immediate actions are critical to prevent further fatalities,” it said, and informed that district rapid response teams were formed promptly.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, the Pongchau CHC and the Konnu-based Ayushman health & wellness centre organised a health camp in the village, while the outbreak investigation was led by Longding DSO Dr Neetu Wangsu.
The department further said that the village, which has 95 households, has 75 per cent kutcha-type sanitary toilets.
It further informed that 95 per cent of the affected children were not vaccinated against rotavirus.
