The Kashmir Dialogues
KNO
Qazigund, Jul 22: At least 15 persons have been affected by a gastroenteritis outbreak in Kewa village of Qazigund in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said.
Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kulgam, Dr. Saba Wani, said at least 15 cases of gastroenteritis have been reported in the area.
“Among them, two are admitted at PHC Qazigund and are about to be discharged,” Dr Wani said.
She said, “I personally visited PHC Qazigund; all the persons are stable.”
“Gastroenteritis is a seasonal outbreak due to the heatwave. People have to boil water for almost twenty minutes before use and keep the environment neat and clean, especially water bodies,” she said.
Regarding the death of the mother-daughter duo in the village, Saba added that they did not die because of gastroenteritis, but due to other underlying problems, including cancer and kidney failure.
Rafiq Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Executive Engineer Jal Shakti, division Qazigund, told KNO that the water supply from Jal Shakti in the area is safe to use and people don’t need to panic.
“We are supplying drinking water through our scheme, which is good for human consumption,” he said.
“The water supply is also reaching other villages, but no such cases have been found there,” he said, adding that some inhabitants are using tubewell water as well.
There is continuous testing of the water supply in the area, and further water samples from tubewells have been sent for testing—
Sheikh Sameer