A major jaundice outbreak at a residential school near Bhubaneswar has triggered a swift public health response, raising fresh concerns over water safety across India. This incident follows recent contamination scares in cities like Indore and Bengaluru, putting a national spotlight on the quality of drinking water.
School Becomes Epicenter of Health Scare
Officials from the public health wing and the Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) descended upon the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gurujang, Khurda, on Monday. Their mission was to collect water samples after the number of students confirmed with jaundice climbed to 35. The affected students, primarily from classes VI to XII, are currently receiving treatment at their homes.
On the same day, health teams collected blood samples from an additional 22 students who were showing symptoms. Their test reports are now awaited. The outbreak was first detected when a student tested positive after returning from the New Year vacation, leading to the identification of multiple subsequent cases.
Water Supply Under the Microscope
The school receives its water supply from Watco, which is stored in three on-campus tanks before being distributed to hostels, the kitchen, and other points. While school authorities had conducted water tests last week with results showing no contamination, the Watco team undertook a more extensive check.
Water samples were collected from 12 different points across the campus and sent for immediate analysis to detect any possible bacterial contamination. Watco General Manager Rajendra Nayak stated that the water supplied to the school is monitored online continuously, with chlorination levels checked round-the-clock. He emphasized that the source of the outbreak—whether from water or externally consumed food—will only be confirmed after the test results.
Official Response and Containment Efforts
Odisha's Health Minister, Mukesh Mahaling, provided an update, stating that the department is aware of 40 students and one teacher being afflicted. He assured that all have received medical help and have recovered, with the situation now under control. The minister added that if water contamination is confirmed, immediate steps will be taken to disinfect the source.
Director of Public Health Nilakantha Mishra and School Vice-Principal N C Chakra both confirmed that all necessary steps are being taken to contain the spread of the disease. The state's proactive sampling and testing reflect the heightened alert following water safety issues in other parts of the country.
