Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, on Sunday urged the Mohan Charan Majhi government to take concrete and immediate steps to combat cholera, which has claimed 14 lives so far.

While Naveen and the Opposition maintained that the toll has reached 14, the state government is yet to acknowledge this figure officially.

In a post on X, Naveen wrote: “Cholera has put people’s lives in danger. What was not seen for many years has now disrupted life in various districts.”

“Cholera is taking a severe form in Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Puri, Cuttack and Keonjhar, and it has started spreading to other districts. The state government’s casual approach to the cholera outbreak in Odisha is shocking and disturbing. The government should be vigilant and take immediate and strong steps to prevent further spread, without further endangering people’s lives,” he added.

Health minister Mukesh Mahaling on Sunday visited various parts of Jajpur district, including the Dharmasala Community Health Centre, as well as the Anandapur Community Health Centre in Keonjhar, to assess the situation and ensure an adequate medical response.

“It is a matter of concern for us that cholera has been detected in Jajpur. An expert team from Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital has been deployed in the district. We are trying to bring the situation under control,” Mahaling said.

He urged people not to rely on unqualified practitioners or local medicine shops, and to seek immediate treatment at government health facilities if they develop symptoms such as loose motion, vomiting or abdominal pain.

Although cholera cases continue to be reported, several cases of diarrhoea have also emerged in parts of Jajpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Cuttack districts. In Baragarh district’s Paikamala village, at least 18 people fell ill with symptoms of food poisoning.

Nearly 1,600 patients from Jajpur district were admitted to various hospitals, and 210 patients are currently undergoing treatment. A central team has visited the cholera-hit areas to assess the ground situation.

Meanwhile, the housing and urban development department has issued an urgent advisory directing all urban local bodies and district-level officials to initiate immediate preventive and response measures. Principal secretary Usha Padhee has called for enhanced vigilance and real-time monitoring to ensure the sanitisation and safety of all water sources, with special attention to vulnerable urban pockets.

Senior officers in charge of districts have been instructed to stay closely engaged with the ground situation and to promptly flag any clusters or patterns of mass reporting.