A large-scale public health operation involving 200 teams and national experts was launched in Indore's Bhagirathpura area on Monday to control an acute diarrhoeal outbreak and trace the source of water contamination.
Surveillance and Survey in Full Swing
The health department initiated a real-time household survey using the digital Kobo tool across the affected zone. Following training by regional health director Dr. Chandrashekhar Gedam, the teams fanned out to assess the situation. Approximately 200 teams, each with a doctor, nursing officer, community health officer, ASHA worker, and ANM, covered 2,745 households, reaching an estimated 14,000 residents. This 'reconciliation process' aims to identify all active, recovered, and discharged cases.
The collected data is being geo-tagged to create a spatial map. This information will later be overlaid with water-supply source maps to pinpoint the exact locations and causes of the contamination.
Current Case Load and Expert Intervention
According to the Monday health bulletin, 38 new cases of vomiting and diarrhoea were detected at the Bhagirathpura primary health centre. The death toll stands at 10, with the government attributing six fatalities directly to the outbreak. Since the onset, a total of 421 patients have been hospitalised. Of these, 311 have been discharged, while 110 remain under treatment. Among the hospitalised, 15 are in the ICU and four in the high dependency unit.
National experts are now on the ground. Scientists from the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (NIRBI) in Kolkata and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi, alongside the state surveillance team from Bhopal, are conducting field investigations. The Kolkata team has collected random water samples using advanced methods to identify specific bacterial strains.
Administrative Response and Containment Measures
District Collector Shivam Verma stated that data from local teams is being shared with national experts to determine if the contamination is from a single source or multiple points. The administration has accelerated the chlorination of water sources. Verma confirmed that 114 government borewells have been chlorinated, with work ongoing on about 400 private borewells.
On-ground measures include:
- Distribution of 'Clean Water' droppers to households, with instructions to add 8-10 drops to 10 litres of water and use it after one hour.
- Stationing of five dedicated ambulances in the area.
- 24/7 doctor duty at the primary health centre.
- Referral of critical patients to MY Hospital, Aurobindo Hospital, and Chacha Nehru Children's Hospital.
- Directives from the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) for free treatment, testing, and medicine even at private hospitals.
The health department has placed all medical facilities on high alert. All staff leave has been cancelled, and health institutions will remain operational on holidays, including weekends, until further notice.
