Director of Public Health, Odisha, Dr Nilkantha Mishra, said that no new cases of jaundice have been reported yet.
Bhubaneswar: In the latest development in the rising jaundice infections among students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), the Khordha district health authorities linked it to contaminated water. Providing details, Dr Nilkantha Mishra, Director of Public Health, Odisha, stated that no new cases have been reported yet, and actions will be taken accordingly if the numbers increase.
“The source is the water, orofecal contamination, which means the water was contaminated and entered the system. Anyone who drinks that water, or whose food is prepared with it, is therefore at risk. Steps are being taken to decontaminate the water so that it becomes clean and potable,” Mishra said.
Team Actively Handling The Disease Response
Mishra added that the health team is keeping an eye on and handling the disease response. However, he said that the responsibility of the water contamination is with water-supply department or the school administration.
“My team is handling the disease response, but responsibility for the water contamination lies with the water-supply department or the school authorities, who manage the supply… No further cases have been reported to us; we are tracking the situation and will act accordingly if numbers increase,” he added.
“Of the 81 patients, 15 have been discharged. We will test their blood to determine whether they are free of jaundice and related conditions. As per my information, no new cases have emerged… If we identify clustering or an increase in cases, we will take appropriate steps. Individual cases are monitored as they are reported,” he added.
Preventive Measures Taken
On Wednesday, Mishra informed that his team is actively investigating the situation and preventive measures have been taken to contain the spread.
“Our teams are visiting schools and doing inspections. We are testing and finding out how it spread in school, and preventive measures are being taken,” Dr Mishra told ANI on Wednesday, as concerns grew following multiple positive cases reported from the residential school.
What Did The State Health Minister Say?
On Monday, Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling informed that the health crisis at a residential school is stabilising. He said that affected students are recovering after a sudden rise in jaundice cases.
After getting the reports of the jaundice outbreak at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gurujang, the central team arrived to identify the source of infection and ensure student safety on campus.
The central team arrived in Gurujang after getting the reports of the jaundice outbreak at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
Senior officials, including Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Sanjay Roy and District Public Health Officer Dr Ranjan Mitra, visited the campus to assess the situation and oversee preventive measures after 54 students’ blood samples tested positive for jaundice as of January 6, 2026.
