Shopian, Nov 24: Two persons including a 17-year old girl have died due to outbreak of jaundice in some villages of this South Kashmir district.
 Reports said besides the death of a girl and a woman, at least 22 cases of jaundice were reported in Chak Sidiq Khan, Krawoora, Kharwara, Manjipora and adjoining villages in last four days.
 The deceased have been identified as Rubi Jan, 17, daughter of  Abdul Salam Mir, and Tasleema wife of  Hilal Ahmad Bhat of Bahanoo village, an Anganwari worker in Social Welfare Department.
 Tasleema had reportedly delivered a baby only four days ago and died at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar on Wednesday evening.
 Last month three people including two infants and a woman had died due to outbreak of jaundice in the same villages due to the consumption of contaminated water.
 The villagers alleged that they are forced to drink the contaminated water as there was no proper supply available to them.
 “We have been time and again asking for potable water supply as the Public Health Engineering Department (PHE) provides us water from a tank which is contaminated and sans any filtration mechanism, but our pleas have always fallen on deaf ears,” said the angry villagers.
 The consumption of the contaminated water, they said, has resulted in loss of five lives during past one month but the authorities are still unmoved.
 Confirming the outbreak of jaundice, Chief Medical Officer Shopian, Dr Nazir Ahmad Hakim said that all necessary precautions have been taken to control the disease.
 “We have distributed chlorine tablets to the villagers and are taking other necessary measures to control the disease,” he said.
 However, he said, since the disease is water borne, people should drink boiled water only. The CMO also said that a team of doctors has been deputed to the affected area to assist the locals.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST