About 150 people have been suffering from an acute diarrhoeal disease in Taramani allegedly due to water contamination, reported The New Indian Express.

The patients had been admitted to Government Royappetah Hospital and Tondiarpet Central Communicable Hospital from December 15 to December 20.

TNIE reported that the most affected areas are Mahatma Gandhi Nagar, Kamarajar Streer, Anna Street and Karumariamman Koil Streets in Taramani. Over 20 teams from the Directorate of Public Health, Directorate of Medical Sciences, Directorate of Medical Education, in collaboration with the Chennai Corporation, have been screening people for communicable diseases. They are also doing a water chlorination check in these localities.

S Kanimozhi, a resident told TNIE that her elder sister had diarrhea and she was vomiting. She was taken to Government Royapettah Hospital and later shifted her to Tondiarpet Communicable Disease Hospital after ‘suspected cholera’.

Dr Kolandaswamy, Director of Public Health told TNIE that there were 22 cases of acute diarrhoeal disease that were admitted to Tondairpet CDH on Wednesday. 

He also added that contact treatment and control measures have been taken up in the area. However, he denied any kind of cholera outbreak in these areas.

After reports of water contamination, 10 water filling stations maintained by Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewage Board have come under the Food Safety Wing’s scanner. This comes after sample test reports from Kilpauk, Kathipara and Poonammallee High Road have shown that the water was contaminated. The disease outbreak has made the Food Safety Department inspect major filling stations which include Royapuram, Kilpauk, Nungambakkam, Vadapalani etc.

A senior Food Safety Wing official told TNIE that the samples from the filling points show that the chlorine level is lower than required. Following this, the department has reportedly asked the local executive engineers to increase chlorination level to kill bacteria and microbes.