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Suspected water contamination leaves over 300 residents of Kochi flat complex sick
Suspected water-borne disease outbreak hits a major apartment complex with over 1,200 apartments at Kakkanad, leaving nearly 300 residents, including children, ill
A suspected water-borne disease outbreak has hit a major apartment complex with over 1,200 apartments at Kakkanad in Kochi, Kerala, leaving, by some accounts, nearly 300 residents, including children, sick.
The affected have sought treatment after developing symptoms associated with water-borne diseases such as vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, especially over the last four days.
Water contamination: Kerala Health Minister warns of action against Kochi flat association if found guilty of ‘suppression of facts’
Sources at a private hospital at Kakkanad confirmed that there has been a steady stream of patients from the apartment complex, DLF New Town Heights. All residents of the complex were being checked at a medical camp set up by a private hospital on June 18 morning.
Water samples collected
The Kerala Health department has collected water samples, the test report of which may take between 24 to 48 hours. “We are yet to reach any conclusion though the problem seems to be fairly scattered across the apartment complex. There are 15 towers in the apartment complex and hence a large number of water storage tankst, necessitating collection of that many samples. As of now, the problem seems to be severe in ‘Q’ Tower. We are also collecting random samples from individual apartments,” said Gopika Arun, Kakkanad medical officer.
Though a water safety notice listing out the do’s ad don’ts had been issued, the apartment association office-bearers have now sought to downplay the incident stating that while there has been water contamination, possibly e-coli infection, the issue has been blown out of proportion.
“We use multiple sources of water, including rainwater harvesting, borewell, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) supply, wells and water tankers. We have taken corrective measures and isolated the water sources and the Health department is also apprised of the matter. The situation is under control. As there are over 12,00 apartments, we cannot keep track of how many people had been to hospital these days and whether it was for this particular issue,” says Madhusoodhanan, the association president.
Test pointed to contamination
However, residents paint a fairly grim picture. Besides, there seems to be resentment among a section of the residents over the alleged suppression of the problem by the association as a test conducted as back as last month had pointed to the prevalence of e-coli.
“We came to know about the issue only on Sunday (June 16). We were told by the association authorities that only 20-odd residents were affected,” says M. Madhu, health inspector with the Thrikkakara municipality.
Arun Kumar, a resident of the apartment, had been a frequent day-long visitor to the hospital for about a week, now also taking his 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughters for treatment, including IV fluids intake. “The problem dates back to at least three or four months in different degrees. The primary concern is to resolve the health scare,” he says.
Joseph Rajan, another resident, however, feels that it was too early to conclude if the health issue was triggered by contaminated water. “The issue does not seem to be restricted to the DLF apartment since our acquaintances in other apartments in the neighbourhood are also complaining of a similar problem. It could be a larger issue faced by Kochi or Kakkanad,” he says.
Sony George, another resident, says drinking water has been an issue and that his family and many others in the apartment have been relying on packaged water for drinking for years. He also feels that the problem is not restricted to a single apartment complex.
- Telegram
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