Over 100 suspected cases found in Kulgam district alone
South Kashmir is experiencing nearly daily increase in new Hepatitis-E infection cases due to contaminated water. The health officials are apprehensive that the situation may get worse, prompting the Divisional Administration to closely monitor the rate of infection to identify potential clusters of disease.
Officials said the number of suspected Hepatitis-E tests has jumped to over 100 in Kulgam district alone, about 40 miles south of summer capital Srinagar. That number includes 8 confirmed cases in Qazigund area.
Following the disclosure by health officials in a high-level meeting, Divisional Commissioner, Asgar Samoon has put all the hospitals on high alert in south Kashmir.
Sources told that Samoon lashed out at PHE officials for supplying contaminated water in Kulgam district.
“They have been asked to take the precautionary measures immediately and chlorinate the water reservoirs. Divisional Commissioner also instructed the Rural Sanitation Department to construct dry latrines in the areas which will prevent contamination of water through open defecation,” said officials privy to Monday’s meeting.
Divisional Commissioner has also constituted a team of experts from Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar and Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Kashmir to monitor the situation in the region to stop the spread of infection.
Last week the doctors confirmed outbreak of Hepatitis- E at Cheki-Wangund village of Qazigund attributing it to the supply of highly contaminated water to the inhabitants by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department.
The lab reports also confirmed that water supplied to the villagers is not fit for human consumption at all. According to reports, eight people in the village have been tested positive for the infection so far.
It said 35 people were found to have jaundice and their blood samples were taken for testing to Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) laboratory at Barzulla, Srinagar. Out of 35, eight have so far tested positive for Hep-E infection while the reports of other suspected cases is awaited.
