GMC Anantnag forms expert team to investigate cause behind illness

Anantnag, Jan 28: The Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has constituted a five-member expert team to investigate a jaundice outbreak in the Gutligund village of Verinag, where 27 people, mostly children, have fallen ill. According to an order, the multidisciplinary team will identify the source of the outbreak and recommend preventive and control measures.

The team will be visiting the village and submitting an action plan to the Principal GMC Anantnag by the end of this month.

They are also directed to provide immediate healthcare interventions to the affected individuals. The team is headed by Dr Mahbooba Rasool, Associate Professor of Community Medicine, with members including Dr Abiroo Jan (Associate Professor, Microbiology), Dr Irfan Gul (Associate Professor, General Medicine), Dr Asif Aziz (Consultant, Pediatrics), and Aijaz Ahmad (Health Educator, UHTC Brakpora).

An official said that the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) team has already collected water samples and the results are awaited. “More serology samples were also taken by the IDSP team today for further investigation. Block Medical Officer (BMO) Verinag, Dr Yousuf, said eight more serology samples were collected today, while 12 samples were taken on Monday, with reports still pending.

“So far, 27 cases have been confirmed positive, with a few more suspected. All patients are stable and under close surveillance,” said Dr Yousuf.

One patient is admitted at Sub-District Hospital, Dooru. Hepatitis A, a water-borne disease commonly affecting children, is suspected to be the cause of the outbreak. Health officials have advised residents to consume boiled water and maintain proper hygiene to prevent further infections.

Locals have blamed contaminated water for the outbreak, claiming it is being supplied directly from a polluted source. “Garbage is dumped near the water source, contaminating it, and the same water is being supplied to us,” said Nisar Ahmad, a local resident.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Syed Fakhrudin Hamid, visited the village to address residents’ grievances. Locals urged him to provide potable water from the Verinag reservoir instead of the current source. The DC assured them that their concerns would be addressed promptly.