Malappuram: A detailed examination of the water samples collected from the drainages in Kuttippuram town, the epicentre of the cholera outbreak in the district, has found the presence of vibrio cholerae, the bacterium which causes the cholera infection. The district health authorities had collected 15 samples from various drainages which flow down to the nearby Bharathapuzha for tests after four of a family in the town infected with cholera last week.
The examination conducted by the Kerala Agricultural University’s Food Quality Assurance Laboratory has found three samples contained the bacteria. In the wake of confirmation of cholera and two deaths due to diarrhoea in Kuttippuram, the district health authorities have warned the public to avoid using water from the contaminated sources. The flow of contaminated water from the drainages, where the bacteria found, is into the river. It also poses a significant threat to the public health.
District collector S. Venkatesapathy on Thursday allowed the eateries and restaurants to open on the conditional basis from Friday. All the eateries had shut after the cholera outbreak. Earlier the health department had found that nine of 15 reported cases of Cholera in the district have infected from the same source in Kuttippuram.
“Our investigation had found that all the nine had taken food from the same eatery in Kuttippuram, which helped to track the source of infection," said Dr A. Shibulal, deputy district medical officer.
Five more diphtheria cases
Meanwhile, five more suspected cases of diphtheria were reported from the district on Thursday taking the toll to 62 so far. Of these 17 were confirmed and 13,6606 were administered Td vaccine so far as part of the immunisation drive, said DMO Dr V. Ummer Farook.
