More than 300 residents, mostly children and women, of a Noida Extension group housing society fell ill with an infection caused by suspected water contamination, officials said on Tuesday.
Alarmed by the complaints of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and stomach ache en masse, the local health department team swung into action and set up a temporary camp at the society for check-up and treatment.
The local Greater Noida Authority also checked the water supply in the society in which it found no fault but took samples of water for test as a precautionary measure, according to an official statement.
Raj Kumar, a media professional and resident of Supertech Ecovillage 2, said the issue came to light when residents were discussing water shortage on a WhatsApp group on Monday evening.
“One resident mentioned that his child had diarrhoea and vomiting. Soon after, another resident reported the same symptoms in their child, and more people began sharing similar experiences. It quickly became evident that hundreds of residents had fallen ill,” Kumar told PTI.
Another resident, Ashish Srivastava, suggested that water contamination might be the cause, as the society’s water tanks were cleaned a few days ago.
“Water is the common factor in all households. A local doctor in the society’s mart, who was approached by several families, confirmed infections among the patients,” Srivastava said.
While society residents claim the number of affected individuals exceeds 100, the local health department said it is yet to determine the exact figure and the cause of the illnesses.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer Dr Sunil Sharma told PTI that health teams, including doctors, were rushed to the spot soon after the information was received, beginning around last midnight.
“The cases appear to be of vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache and fever which are being treated,” Sharma said after visiting the society.
On Tuesday evening, the CMO said in a statement that 339 patients of the society were tested of whom nine were found in fever while 330 suffered from stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea.
“Treatment was provided to all the patients by the medical team. Essential medicines and ORS packets were distributed,” Sharma said.
During inspection by the District Malaria Officer and his team, it was found that there was water stagnation at some places in the basement in which larvae were found, for which a challan of Rs 10,000 was issued and water samples were taken from the flats of those towers of the society where maximum number of patients were found, he said.
In a statement, the Greater Noida Authority said its CEO N G Ravi Kumar has taken serious note of the episode and reviewed the situation.
“Initial probe showed there was no fault in the ‘supply water’ in the society. However, water samples have been taken and further action will be taken after getting it tested in the lab,” it said.
The authority team also talked to the residents about the problem. The residents told the authority’s team that recently the tank built inside the society was cleaned. Only after that dirty water was supplied, which made people sick, it added.
General Manager of Water Supply Department Jitendra Gautam said all the group housing societies of Greater Noida are supplied water by the authority only till their reservoir.
“Water supply to the houses of the residents of the society is arranged by the builder himself or by the AOA (Apartment Owners Association),” he added.
Supertech Ecovillage 2 is one of the largest group housing societies in Noida Extension, also known as Greater Noida West. It has around 20 high-rise towers, each with approximately 150 flats.
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