No signs of epidemic in flood-hit state: Experts

Rubbishing claims that the initial signs of a large-scale health epidemic is beginning to show in Uttarakhand since decaying bodies are yet to be cremated and might spread waterborne diseases, a senior health ministry official who left for site inspection said that the situation so far is under control.

Asked about the three districts of Haridwar (Alwalpur), Uttarkashi (Udvi) and Rudraprayag (Chandrapuri) where mass scale diarrhoea and fever cases were reported, the official said that the situation had been contained. On Wednesday, a team of senior health ministry experts left for Uttarakhand to review public health measures.

Besides that, three Central Health Public Teams (CHPT) have been posted on the site with eight additional teams ready to move in at short notice.

“Teams from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) are already conducting active surveillance in all affected districts. There is no question of epidemic yet since that happens when we are unable to pick up early signs and the disease spreads. But in the current scenario, the cases were picked up early and addressed,” he said.

Asked if the rotting bodies posed a public health threat since pathogens from the dead bodies could pollute the natural streams which is a major source of drinking water, the official said that drinking water samples are being drawn almost on an hourly basis.

“The dead bodies themselves pose no threat but if deceased were infected with any diseases like cholera or such infectious diseases, then it could be a problem. Currently we are keeping a close check on water samples, even stool samples of sick persons and found no evidence of waterborne/airborne or direct contact diseases. Besides, the process of purification of water is being performed by chlorinating it. Our people on the field are checking the chlorine levels in water by doing sample tests and by using cholorometers. The state government is distributing lakhs of chlorine tablets to people and disinfecting water at source as well,” said the official, adding that the union health ministry has kept an additional stock of 10 lakh chlorine tablets on standby.
To keep a check on vector-borne diseases, specialists from National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme is on the site while three teams from Bangalore’s NIMHANS Institute has been deputed at the disaster site.