Mangaluru: The health department has intensified surveillance in Mangaluru after 15 confirmed Hepatitis A cases were detected in Bunder, Dongarakeri and Alape areas over the past month. While the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has denied allegations of contamination in its water supply, officials are investigating the source of the outbreak.The clustering of cases in neighbouring wards has raised concerns over water quality in the city. Earlier, residents of Bejai New Road, Battagudda, Kadri and Chilimbi had flagged public health issues linked to unsafe drinking water.Dakshina Kannada district surveillance officer Dr Naveen Chandra Kulal told TOI that cases of Hepatitis A had been reported in and around the Bunder area earlier too.“The spread of disease is primarily linked to the consumption of contaminated water and food. We have been collecting water samples to find the actual cause of the disease spread. We get sporadic cases from different parts of the district. “ Door-to-door visits are being conducted to study the actual situation since 15 cases were reported in the area in the past one month,” he said.He advised people to consume properly boiled food, drink hot water and maintain cleanliness.However, Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath said the number of Hepatitis A cases in the city is higher than 15. “More cases have been detected in the area,” the MLA said.DHO Dr Thimmaiah HR said the department is working to identify the source of the outbreak. “We have sent water samples for lab analysis,” he added.Meanwhile, Naresh P Shenoy, deputy commissioner (development), MCC, said no contaminants were found in water supplied by the corporation during sample tests. The civic body has sent samples to the College of Fisheries, Mangalore, for third-party assessment, he said.
