What caused the water contamination in Indore's Bhagirathpura?

Tap water in Bhagirathpura was contaminated by a mix of pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae, likely due to sewage leaks from a police outpost and aging pipelines.

How many people died due to contaminated water in Indore?

As of the report, 10 people have died, and 210 have been hospitalized following the consumption of contaminated tap water in Bhagirathpura.

Why was the water contamination in Indore so deadly?

The water contained multiple deadly pathogens, causing polymicrobial infections, leading to multi-organ failure and sepsis, especially when diagnosis and treatment were delayed.

Home / Health / Deadly Pathogens Found in Indore Tap Water; 10 Dead, 210 Hospitalized

Deadly Pathogens Found in Indore Tap Water; 10 Dead, 210 Hospitalized

4 Jan

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Summary

Tap water contaminated with E coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae caused mass illness.
A sewage leak from a police outpost toilet contaminated the 30-year-old water pipeline.
Delayed testing likely contributed to fatalities from polymicrobial infections.

Deadly Pathogens Found in Indore Tap Water; 10 Dead, 210 Hospitalized

Over a week after residents of Bhagirathpura in Indore fell ill, water sample reports confirmed deadly pathogens like E coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae bacteria in the tap water. This polymicrobial contamination caused multi-organ failure and sepsis, leading to 10 deaths and hospitalizing 210 people, with 32 currently in intensive care. The source is believed to be raw sewage leaking from a police outpost toilet and breaches in a 30-year-old water pipeline, affecting approximately 50,000 residents.

Medical experts have criticized the significant delay in testing and pathogen identification, stating that the lag worsened the fatalities from polymicrobial infections, which require rapid, targeted treatment. Dr. Verma's hospital treated over 130 patients, initially mistaking symptoms for diarrhea before realizing the severity and unique pathogen mix. The health department's monitoring began only on December 29, after initial panic and numerous patient admissions.