Dikhyaa Mohanty 
After Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Khurda, a jaundice outbreak affecting over 10 persons has been reported from Nuadokanda village and surrounding areas in Kanas block of Odisha’s Puri district. The cases are believed to have stemmed from contamination in the Daya River, which locals rely on for daily needs.
According to sources, medical teams from the District Public Health Department visited the affected areas on Saturday to conduct on-ground assessments, interact with residents, and evaluate sanitation and water sources. Water samples from the Daya River and other local sources have been collected and dispatched to laboratories for testing to confirm if polluted drinking water is the primary cause.
“We have collected water samples as well as samples from all suspected cases. At this stage, we can only comment after the conclusive reports are received. Currently, there are three active patients, and they were already receiving treatment,” Medical Officer at Kanas Community Health Centre Bibek Anurag told reporters
In the meanwhile, locals have been instructed to stay away from drinking river water, drink only boiled or filtered water, maintain proper hygiene, and get medical attention right once if symptoms arise. Political criticism has been rekindled by the outbreak, with BJD leader Ramaranjan Baliarsingh accusing the administration of doing little. He emphasized that the establishment of a wastewater treatment plant had been promised by the government to the Human Rights Commission. “However, work has not started, and the DPR for this plant—for which ₹176 crore has been allocated—has not yet been submitted,” he claimed.
