Are You Drinking Clean Water? 500 People Fell Ill After Drinking Contaminated Water In Karnataka

In Karnataka's Udupi district, over 500 individuals became unwell after consuming water from a local overhead tank in Uppunda. Dr. IP Gadad, the District Health Officer, confirmed this on October 5. The water was found to contain salmonella bacillary strains, which are known to cause illness.

The contamination affected two wards in the area. A team was dispatched on September 30 to investigate both villages using the same water source. They discovered these bacterial strains in 56 cases. "More than 500 people fell ill after drinking contaminated water supplied from a local overhead tank in Uppunda in Udupi district. None of the sick are in serious condition... Water-borne pathogenic salmonella bacillary strains were found in the water supplied to the two wards. We sent a team on September 30 to check both the villages using the same water source and nearby villages and reported that these bacterial strains were detected in 56 cases," Gadad said.

Investigation Underway

An investigation is currently being conducted to determine how the contamination occurred. Authorities are working to ensure that such incidents do not happen again by examining all possible sources of contamination.

Efforts are being made to provide safe drinking water to the affected areas while ensuring that those who fell ill receive appropriate medical care. The health department is closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary measures to prevent further spread of illness.

For now, residents are advised to take precautions and use alternative sources of drinking water until authorities declare it safe again.