Two-member team set to visit Rayagada

BHUBHANESWAR: With reports of more and more deaths pouring in from Rayagada, a two-member team of the State Health Department is all set to head to the district to assess the situation on Friday.

While the deaths are believed to be caused by diarrhoea, the team will also look if the dreaded cholera is recurring. Headed by State Disease Surveillance Cell head Bikash Patnaik, the team is likely to visit the six blocks of Rayagada district which have reported the deaths.

Unofficial figures put the death roll at 50. However, sources in the State Health Department said this year 26 deaths were reported as yet. At least, 20 of those were reported in August alone triggering the panic.

Most death reports have come from Rayagada, Kashipur, Bisamakataka, Kalyansinghpur and Gudari. Jagannathpur village has reported the maximum number. The team is expected to submit its findings to Health Minister Prasanna Acharya.

In the past, Rayagada has been the epicentre of similar outbreaks which claimed several lives.

In 2007, over 500 persons had fallen victim to cholera which the State Government had initially dismissed as diarrhoearelated. The official figure then was about 150.

Last year, the outbreak recurred in Rayagada and Kalahandi but toll was much less than the figure of 2007.

However, what has been worrying the Health Department is recurrence of the cholera in the region.

Though water disinfection has been carried in the past, the discovery of a virulent strain called Vibrio cholera 01 Ogawa biotype El Tor in 2007 had left the public health analysts in a state of amazement. The strain, a virulent one, had been spotted in India three years back.

Vibrio cholera O1 Ogawa biotype El Tor is believed to be extremely active in release of cholera toxin and is clinically severe.

This strain was first reported from Tanzania in Africa and then Bangladesh.

Rayagada district, one of the backward regions of the State, has had a below par human development index and health coverage has also been at a low despite several programmes.