Cholera outbreak: health dept. makes containment efforts at private care home at Neyyattinkara
12 confirmed cases, 17 suspected cases and one suspected death have been reported in the current outbreak
The Health department has intensified preventive and control measures in and around the private care home at Neyyattinkara where a cholera outbreak was reported last Saturday.
In all, 12 confirmed cases, 17 suspected cases and one suspected death have been reported in the current outbreak. About 24 persons continue to be treated in various hospitals and their condition is satisfactory.
Medical teams from the Health department and the Government Medical College Hospital are visiting the site to take follow up measures. The district rapid response team under the district medical officer also met on Friday to coordinate and review the preventive measures being taken to ensure that the outbreak remains contained.
The source of contamination which could have led to the outbreak still remains elusive, though the Health department has collected several water samples from all water sources in use at the care home as well as samples of food items for analysis and the results are awaited.
Those displaying symptoms of acute diarrhoeal disease or vomiting are being admitted in the isolation ward readied at Iranimuttam. The care home inmates who went to their own homes following the outbreak are also being monitored to see if they develop symptoms. Their household contacts are also under surveillance so that the infection does not spread. The Health department has also prepared a list of the students and employees in the school attached to the care home and they have also been put under surveillance.
At a review meeting chaired here on Friday by Health Minister Veena George, Health department officials said that it has taken all possible measures to contain the outbreak and to prevent any new cases of cholera. Joint measures were taken by the health officials, Neyyattinkara municipality and its health wing to chlorinate the wells in the locality and to create awareness among the public on the precautions and hygienic measures they needed to adopt to prevent new cases of cholera. Disease surveillance has been strengthened to ensure that no new disease clusters form.
The Health department has also given the directive that all persons running care and rehabilitation homes for children and senior citizens in the State take special care to ensure that all hygienic measures are maintained in institutions to prevent mass outbreaks of communicable diseases, especially water and food-borne diseases.
K. Ansalan, MLA, chairman of Neyyattinkara municipality, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), District Collector, Director of Health Services and senior Health officials participated in the review meeting.
- Telegram
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