Hepatitis-A outbreak among children in Bandipora villages

Bandipora, July 01: Hepatitis-A cases among children have been reported in several villages of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
A health official said that several cases of jaundice were reported among children in the Quil and Onagam villages following which the health department swiftly launched a comprehensive sampling campaign to identify the presence of Hepatitis-A and Hepatitis-E viruses.
“We have conducted tests on 16 children in Quil village and unfortunately, one child has tested positive for Hepatitis-A,” official said.
He said that similarly in Onagam village, samples of eleven children were taken and none of them were tested positive however they are still monitoring the situation.
The outbreak is suspected to be linked to water contamination, potentially caused by the recent heavy rainfall, he said adding that contaminated water sources are known to accelerate the transmission of Hepatitis-A.
He said that the people have been asked to take necessary precautions and remain vigilant regarding their water sources. The health department has also provided essential medications and educational materials to raise awareness about proper hygiene practices, he said.
Meanwhile residents of these villages have expressed their concerns over the outbreak and urged higher authorities for swift action and intervention.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmed said that the health department is closely monitoring the situation and implementing measures to contain the outbreak effectively.
Owais said that in the immediate term, residents are urged to adhere to strict hygiene protocols and follow guidelines provided by health officials.
Areas like Ajas where these occurrences were prevalent have not reported any such occurrence since filtered tap water has been provided to them through the JJM, Owais said.
Similarly affected areas like Quil and Onagam will soon witness the access to safe and filtered tap water which will mitigate the risk of any future occurrences, he added.