Assam: Waterborne Disease Outbreak Claims Four Lives in Cachar

CACHAR: At least four persons have died, and more than 20 residents have been hospitalized following an outbreak of waterborne diseases.

The incident was reported from Bhakatpur's Kathal Road and has sparked widespread concern with contaminated drinking water supplied under the Bhakatpur Water Project suspected to be the likely source.

The outbreak reportedly emerged one week back in Sector 4 of Bhakatpur when the diarrheal disease cases skyrocketed without notice. In some areas, the affected people encountered the symptoms which ranged between minimal discomfort to extreme dehydration causing a severe surge of emergencies.

Despite timely medical intervention, four individuals tragically lost their lives due to the illness. The victims were identified as: Shankar Dutta (40), Sharif Uddin (35), Putul Mia (65) ,Saidur Barbhuiya (60)

The deceased were among the hardest hit by the outbreak, reflecting the seriousness of contaminated water.

The local people complained and feared, with their main cause being that it is the contaminated water which has caused the disaster. Many have called for quick action to ensure the safe drinking water in the locality.

In response, officials have collected water samples from the Bhakatpur Water Project and surrounding households for laboratory testing. Preliminary findings indicate that the contamination may have caused a widespread outbreak of diarrhoea and related illnesses.

The health department has set up a medical camp to treat and counsel affected people. Information on the preventive measures that will prevent the spread of the disease is also being passed around in the camp. In addition, the authorities are monitoring the situation and are preparing to enforce measures to prevent such cases in the future.

This tragic incident underlines the need for regular water quality checks and prompts maintenance of public water supply systems. Authorities must ensure that such outbreaks are prevented in the future through stringent safety measures and community awareness campaigns.

The outbreak has raised critical questions about infrastructure and governance, with residents demanding accountability and swift corrective actions to protect public health.

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