Srinagar, Feb 17: Panic gripped Wathu village of Shopian district after five persons tested positive for Hepatitis-A infection after consuming “unsafe drinking water” supplied to the village.
Besides that, 150 samples of people in the village have been taken for testing.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Shopian, Dr Arshid Tak told Greater Kashmir that at least five persons were infected in the village and the screening was going on for further detection of infection.
Tak said that the Health Department along with Block Medical Officer (BMO) are raising awareness in the village about the need to maintain proper hand hygiene and using boiled drinking water.
“The Hepatitis A infection has spread among the people due to unsafe drinking water. We tested the drinking water sample and it returned positive,” he said.
Tak said that they had taken up the matter with the PHE Department.
“We have also asked the people to boil water properly to prevent the spread of infection,” he said.
Tak said that they have also asked the people to keep the drinking water sources clean and avoid throwing waste into it.
Meanwhile, locals alleged that they were being supplied contaminated water without any filtration.
They said that despite bringing the matter to the notice of the authorities several times, nothing had been done so far.
Locals also appealed to the higher ups to look into the matter.
The villagers said that if there were problems in the filtration plant then they should use water tankers till the problem would be solved.
Earlier, few cases of Hepatitis-A were reported in Ganowpora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Last year, in Turka Tachloo village of south Kashmir, two school children suffering from Hepatitis-A passed away.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus.
The virus is one of several types of Hepatitis viruses that cause liver inflammation and affect the liver’s ability to function.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A range from mild to severe and can include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine, and jaundice.