Toll rises to three; 6 water samples fail potability test

{ DIARRHOEA OUTBREAK } PATIALA

- Karam Prakash

A 70-year-old man, undergoing treatment at Government Rajindra Hospital, succumbed on Monday taking the death toll due to a diarrhoea outbreak at Alipur Arriyan of Patiala city to three.

Earlier, a two-year-old and a 78-year-old, both from the same family, had died due to diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, six water samples out of the 10 from the diarrhoea-outbreak area have failed the potability test, Patiala health officials said.

“Six samples, as per lab reports, were found unfit for human consumption. The samples are stated to have had ‘bacterial contamination,” health officials added, pleading anonymity. As of the last 24 hours, the health officials said that 20 fresh cases had been reported from the affected area taking the total count of affected patients to 85. “Around 20 fresh cases of diarrhoea have been reported from the affected area on Monday. Meanwhile, the majority of hospitalised patients have already been discharged. However, we are still closely monitor-

ing the situation as fresh cases are being reported,” Dr Divjot Singh, district epidemiologist, said.