50 more cases surface in Zirakpur's Baltana, PGI says it’s cholera

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 12

The PGI has found an outbreak of cholera at Ekta Vihar and the adjoining areas of Baltana, which has so far witnessed 340 cases of the infection and two deaths.

“We had sent samples to the microbiology laboratory at the PGI, which has confirmed a cholera outbreak,” said Mohali Civil Surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur. Fifty more cases surfaced in the area today. Yesterday, 50 cases were reported from Modern Enclave.

The district administration is yet to receive a report on the spread of the disease. A three-year-old girl and 30-year-old man have succumbed to the infection so far.

Deputy Commissioner, Mohali, Girish Dayalan said their first priority was to check the spread of the disease, maintain cleanliness and provide treatment to the affected people. Dayalan, along with officials of the Health and Water Supply and Sanitation Departments, today visited Ekta Vihar and took stock of the situation.

“It takes about 10 days to check the spread of the infection,” said the DC.

Cholera cases have been reported from the Ekta Vihar, Ravindra Enclave, Harmilap Nagar and Modern Enclave areas of Baltana.

Dayalan said the water supply to the affected areas had been stopped. “Residents will be provided drinking water through tankers till the problem of contaminated water in the area is resolved,” he said.

“Our teams have also taken samples of tubewell water to find the source of the contamination. We have also asked the Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula, to check the source of contamination in their area,” said Dayalan.

Dayalan visited the Community Health Centre at Dhakoli and enquired about the health of 30 patients, who are being treated at the facility.

Dr Adarshpal Kaur said, “Medical teams and ambulances have been stationed in the area and free medicines are being provided to the affected people.”