7 die of jaundice in Haryana’s Palwal village in 2 weeks; outbreak probe underway

GURGAON: Jaundice has claimed seven lives in Palwal's Chainsa between Jan 27 and Feb 11, prompting Haryana health department to investigate a possible outbreak. Of the seven deaths, four were linked to acute hepatitis or acute liver failure with hepatic encephalopathy.Chainsa has 5,728 people living in 865 households. The health department received the first alert about jaundice deaths on Jan 31, following which a medical officer and a field team conducted a survey in the village. The investigation report listed causes of death as acute fulminant liver failure, acute hepatitis with jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy, acute hepatic failure with pancreatitis and sepsis, and acute hepatitis with hepatic encephalopathy.

Most patients experienced fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice, and altered sensorium before death, a health official said. The patients who succumbed to the disease were Huzaf (9), Payal (9), Sarik (14), Huma (15), Dilshad (22), Samsuddin (42) and Jamila (65). They were admitted to Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt Medical College in Nuh's Nalhar, where they later died.A rapid response team was deployed on Feb 1, and medical camps and doorstep surveys began the next day.

Bacteriological sampling of drinking water sources was also initiated in the village. "We have conducted 800 OPDs so far. Screening and blood sampling for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C were carried out, along with community awareness activities on safe drinking water and food hygiene. As many as 1,500 people, including all close contacts of people who died, have been screened," Palwal CMO Dr Satinder Vashisth told TOI."Three patients with similar clinical complaints were admitted to Civil Hospital and Nalhar Medical College. They are stable," she said. "We are investigating the cause since Hepatitis B is a blood-borne disease. Tests and screening also indicated water infection. Two patients who succumbed to the disease were truck drivers. They were found to have Hepatitis B," Vashisth added.Till Feb 15, as many as 800 people were screened at medical camps set up in the village.

Blood samples from 210 villagers were collected, with two testing positive for Hepatitis B and nine for Hepatitis C. All samples tested for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E were negative. Scrub typhus test results were awaited at the time of reporting.Water samples were collected from storage tanks and pipelines. Of 31 samples, six household samples tested positive for coliforms. Orthotolidine tests showed no chlorine in 82 stored water samples till Feb 12.

Next day, testing of 32 samples found four chlorine-positive samples after corrective measures were initiated.Leptospirosis testing, including IgM and IgG ELISA, was also conducted on multiple samples, and all results were negative. A veterinary inspection was also carried out, and no animals were suspected of leptospirosis.Daily medical camps continued with screening for HBsAg and Hepatitis C. "Investigation into the cause of jaundice outbreak is still under process, with detailed records being taken from affected villagers and families of those who died. Around 15,000 halogen tablets were distributed for water purification in the village. A helpline number — 01275-240022 — was also issued for public queries," another health official said.