Rairangpur (Odisha): Nineteen girl students were hospitalised after a diarrhoea outbreak at the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) hostel in Sargada under Bijatola block of Mayurbhanj district, prompting health authorities to launch an emergency response.
According to official sources, more than 30 students developed diarrhoea symptoms on Wednesday, triggering concern among school authorities and local residents. While several students were treated at the hostel, 19 whose condition required closer medical attention were shifted to the Rairangpur Sub-divisional Hospital in two SUVs.
A special medical team of the Health Department from Bijatola rushed to the hostel after receiving information about the outbreak. The team provided primary treatment, conducted health check-ups and continued monitoring students at the residential school.
Though the exact cause of the outbreak is yet to be confirmed, contaminated food or drinking water is suspected. Health officials are keeping a close watch on the remaining students and have strengthened arrangements for safe food and potable drinking water to prevent further spread of the illness.
Bijatola Block Development Officer Banshidhar Khosla and Block Education Officer (BEO) Dilip Kumar Nanda visited the Rairangpur Sub-divisional Hospital and reviewed the health condition of the affected students.
BEO Dilip Kumar Nanda said that 19 students were immediately shifted to the hospital after information about the outbreak was received in the evening. He said all the students are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable. He added that the medical team continues to remain at the hostel, where treatment and health screening of the remaining affected students are underway.
The district administration and health department are maintaining surveillance at the school as efforts continue to contain the outbreak and ensure the safety of all students.
