A sudden spike in jaundice cases has forced the temporary closure of a prominent residential school in Odisha. The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) located in Gurujang, Khurda district, was shut down on Wednesday for a period of one week. This decisive action came as the number of confirmed jaundice cases among students and staff rose to 62.
Contaminated Water Source Identified
The root cause of the outbreak appears to be contaminated water within the school campus. Authorities from the Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) collected samples from 12 different points across the school premises. Laboratory analysis confirmed serious water quality issues. Out of the 12 points, five were suspected of contamination, with two points definitively testing positive for faecal contamination.
These two critical points were identified as the kitchen tap and the school's overhead water tank. Principal Kabita Kar explained that the lab reports indicated not just faecal contamination but also 'confluent growth,' signifying an alarmingly high concentration of bacteria in the water supply.
Immediate Response and School Closure
Faced with a growing health crisis, the school administration deemed closure necessary to break the chain of infection. "Students also need to be isolated to break the chain of infection now. Hence, closing down the campus was necessitated," Principal Kar stated. The one-week shutdown will be used for intensive cleaning and sanitization of the entire campus and all water sources.
Although the school is scheduled to reopen on January 14, the administration has set a strict condition for returning students. Any pupil who was suffering from fever or any other illness prior to this date must submit a medical fitness certificate before rejoining classes. This precaution is especially critical as practical exams for Class XII students are set to begin on January 15.
Investigation and Preventive Measures
While the school has 41 water tanks on campus, which Watco cleaned on Monday, the investigation is focusing on how the contamination occurred. The school typically conducts water testing and tank cleaning twice a year, in July and December. Watco General Manager Rajendra Nayak clarified that the water supplied by the corporation to the school's sump is continuously monitored for chlorination levels and is contamination-free at source. The issue, therefore, seems to lie within the school's internal distribution system.
The school is coordinating closely with Watco, district authorities, and municipal officials to undertake all necessary corrective work. Principal Kar assured that the exact reason behind the faecal contamination would be ascertained and robust measures implemented to prevent a recurrence.
