Puducherry: Schools and colleges shut as Karaikal sees cholera outbreak

The announcement comes after patients admitted with diarrhoea were found to be infected with cholera.

Schools and colleges will be shut down these days by the district administration so that they can clean the water tanks there.

The district administration has asked school and college authorities to chlorinate their water tanks.

Officials from the Directorate of Health told South First that 1,600 residents were diagnosed with acute diarrhoea in two weeks, and that the district administration and health directorate hospitalised 700 of them.

As many as 15 have tested positive for cholera, the officials added.

“We found the water samples collected in the region unfit for consumption,” the health officials told South First.

Section 144 imposed

The district administration on Monday imposed Section 144 (2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to control the outbreak.

Health officials told South First that people are still allowed to gather in groups.

They added, “The district reported many acute gastroenteritis cases, and a few faecal samples confirmed the presence of Vibrio cholera”.

Acute gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection marked by diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. It spreads through contaminated water and food.

The district administration and health directorate asked hotels, restaurants, and other eateries to supply only boiled water to customers.

The district administration also instructed educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, and wedding halls to provide washing facilities and ensure customers wash their hands before dining.

AIADMK seeks Central help

AIADMK Puducherry deputy secretary Vaiyapuri Manikandan, who is also a former MLA, alleged that the UT government was incompetent when it came to handling the issue.

“The Puducherry government has gone defunct, and therefore, the Union government must send a medical team to Karaikal on war footing to carry out relief work,” he said.

புதுச்சேரி சுகாதாரத்துறை முற்றிலுமாக செயலிழந்துவிட்டது. ஆயிரக்கணக்கான மக்கள் உயிருக்கு போராடும் மிகவும் ஆபத்தான சூழ்நிலை காரைக்காலில் நிலவுகிறது. எனவே மத்திய சுகாதாரத்துறை போர்க்கால அடிப்படையில் காரைக்கால் மாவட்டத்துக்கு மருத்துவக்குழுவை அனுப்பி நிவாரண பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும். pic.twitter.com/jNiR6GfnQj

— Vaiyapuri Mani Ex.MLA (@vaiyapuri_mla) July 4, 2022

He also claimed that two people died of cholera. However, the health officials refuted the claim, saying that the deaths were due to comorbidities.

Cleaning underway in public places

Municipal and Panchayat workers have begun cleaning public places in the district, including the railway station, bus stand, and public parks, using disinfectants.

Revenue officials, too, have begun inspecting the areas, and have instructed borewell operators to provide chlorinated drinking water at construction sites.

The health department has formed a team of 15 experts to conduct door-to-door inspections and monitor the situation.