35 Navodaya Vidyalaya Students In Odisha Hit By Jaundice

Bhubaneswar: At least 35 students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Gurujang in Odisha’s Khurda district have been affected by jaundice, prompting heightened vigilance by school authorities and the state health department.

The affected students, studying in Classes VI to XII, have been showing symptoms since December 20, according to school officials. Following the detection of the cases, the school administration initiated health monitoring measures and alerted the concerned departments to prevent further spread.

As a precaution, several students diagnosed with jaundice have been sent home, while others are being kept under medical supervision on the campus. No fresh cases have been reported in past few days, officials said.

While the exact cause of the outbreak is yet to be established, some parents alleged that contaminated drinking water on the school premises may have triggered the infections. The school authorities, however, dismissed the allegation, maintaining that water and food samples tested safe.

Vice-Principal Nrusingha Charan Chakra said the outbreak was linked to a case of Hepatitis A. “A student suffering from Hepatitis A returned to the campus after vacation without informing the authorities. Once the illness was detected, immediate medical care was provided. As a precautionary measure, all water tanks were cleaned, students were sensitised, and health teams were deployed for counselling,” he said, adding that laboratory tests ruled out water contamination.

Staff nurse Shantilata Bastia said the infection is believed to have spread during the incubation period. “Initially, five to six students were affected. All such students were provided medical treatment and sent home. There have been no new cases since then,” she said.

The school has written to the health department seeking the organisation of a medical camp on the campus to conduct health check-ups and provide treatment to students as a preventive measure.