Rourkela: The situation in diarrhoea-hit Rourkela remained grim as one more patient affected by the disease succumbed today, taking the toll to five in just three days.
The deceased patient was from Rourkela Railway Station area. The 50-year-old Pranab Kishore Swain, a hotel owner, died while undergoing treatment at the Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital in Rourkela today.
On Friday and Saturday, four people including two elderly women and a woman died due to diarrhoea. The deceased persons were Glassan Samant (38) of Panposh area, Nansi Dubey (75) of Udit Nagar, Phulatoli Goud (23) of Panposh and Ahalya Nayak (70) of Orampada.
In the past six days, 167 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the Rourkela Govt Hospital, of which 61 have been discharged following recovery.
Besides, over 150 patients affected by diarrhoea are under treatment at different hospitals in the city.
The number of patients is likely to increase in upcoming days.
In the wake of the situation, Odisha Government has sent a team of experts to Rourkela to take stock of situation and coordinate with doctors and health officials deployed for the treatment in hospitals. The two-member team will ascertain the reason behind the diarrhoea outbreak in Odisha’s Steel City.
The health department has also directed the Sundargarh Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) to send a rapid response team to Rourkela.