Water contamination: Kerala Health Minister warns of action against Kochi flat association if found guilty of ‘suppression of facts’

Kerala Health Minister warns of action against Kochi apartment complex officials for suppressing facts in water-borne disease outbreak.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George has warned of action under the Kerala Public Health Act against the association office-bearers of the apartment complex at Kakkanad in Kochi hit by a suspected water-borne disease outbreak if they are found responsible for “suppression of facts and delay in reporting the health scare.“

Reportedly over 300 residents of DLF New Town Heights at Kakkanad have fallen sick experiencing vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. The incident hit headlines only on June 18 morning though the issue had been persisting for a while.

Talking to The Hindu over phone, Ms. George said the apartment residents have levelled such an accusation against the association. “They have alleged that the association had conducted a test of water samples in May that returned positive results for e-coli. The residents say this was hidden from them. Only when a second test also showed the presence of e-coli did they acknowledge the problem. We will issue notice to the association office-bearers. If found guilty of the charges, action will be taken under the Kerala Public Health Act,” she said.

A 30-member medical team has been deployed in the area to ensure that all affected residents of the apartment undergo treatment. Besides, the team has been asked to conduct a surveillance in the larger neighbourhood for similar unusual caseloads, Ms. George said.

To her knowledge, 340 residents have been affected and developed symptoms, while 18 were hospitalised. Ms. George had directed the deployment of a medical team on June 17 after receiving a call from an aggrieved resident in the apartment.

She said the problem evaded the attention of the Health department as the majority of the affected sought treatment in private hospitals under different doctors. If it was reported at a government hospital or at the same private hospital, then the system would have captured the data of unusual caseload, she added.