Following recent floods, jaundice cases reported in Shopian

Shopian, Oct 1: Sporadic cases of jaundice have been reported from several villages of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. However, senior health officials on Tuesday said there was no cause for panic and that the situation was being closely monitored.

An official said the disease was detected mainly among children in Batapora, Keller block and adjoining areas of the district. He attributed the outbreak to poor water quality, which deteriorated after incessant rains and floods last month that damaged pipelines and muddied natural water sources.

“We had already advised people to consume boiled water following the recent rains and floods,” said Dr Arshad Hussain Tak, Chief Medical Officer, Shopian. “The health department is regularly testing water samples from affected areas. We have also issued a detailed health advisory for the public,” he added.

Tak said that the situation was completely under control and that awareness campaigns were being carried out at the community level to encourage safe water practices.

Following last month’s heavy rainfall, residents across Shopian have been complaining of turbid and muddy water supply.

“We have been receiving muddy water that is hardly fit for consumption for the last several years. However, the recent rains and floods have further deteriorated the water quality”, said a group of concerned citizens from Shopian town.

Abdul Rashid, Executive Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department, Shopian, acknowledged that water quality had deteriorated soon after the floods. “We conducted proper chlorination and also collected samples for testing to rule out contamination. Steps have been taken to improve the supply,” he said.

In recent years, frequent jaundice outbreaks have been reported in the district, with most cases emerging from villages such as Pahnoo, Turkwangam, Keller, and Trenz.

Health experts warn that prolonged consumption of untreated or contaminated water could increase the risk of multiple waterborne diseases, including jaundice, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.

“People must follow the health advisory strictly and ensure they consume only boiled or treated water,” another senior health official said, adding that community cooperation was key to preventing the spread of such diseases.