Kozhikode: Unlike in the past when the onset of monsoon often led to outbreak of water-borne diseases, there has been a spurt in cases of Hepatitis A, diarrhoea, and typhoid in the district in April itself. There have been reports of food poisoning too. The main reason is the use of unhygienic drinking water and ice, Health Department officials say.
According to Asha Devi, District Medical Officer (in-charge), most cases have been reported from areas affected by water shortage. “The number of suspected cases of Hepatitis A, which was 49 in January, rose up to 71 in March. In April, 27 cases have been reported so far,” she said.
Ms. Asha Devi said some of those who had consumed food and soft drinks from hotels and stalls within the city limits had fallen sick. “The ice being mixed in fruit juice and other soft drinks are bought from plants that function in unhygienic conditions. Some of these plants sell ice that is used to preserve fish. This is leading to serious health issues,” she added.
The official said there had been incidents of food poisoning in Edachery and Kuttiady in February and Kakkodi in March. As many as 99 people had fallen sick in Kakkodi. Unhygienic water is suspected to be the reason, she said.
“When the health section of the city corporation raided ice manufacturing units in the beach area, most of them were found to be using water drawn from unhygienic sources. They did not have quality certificates either,” Ms. Asha Devi said.
K.V. Baburaj, chairman, standing committee on health, Kozhikode City Corporation, said as many as 13 units were raided, and one was closed down. Others have been told to improve infrastructure and file a compliance report in two weeks. “One ice cream manufacturing unit has been told that it will be allowed to resume business only if it sticks to quality standards,” he added.
Mr. Baburaj said the corporation was planning to inspect stalls selling juice and soft drinks from next week to ensure that they use potable water.
