Cuttack, March 16: The district administration has decided to continue with the health camps for effective identification, screening and subsequent treatment of jaundice patients in the city.

So far, around 165 cases of jaundice have been reported while one person died of the waterborne disease since its outbreak last month.

Chief district medical officer Prafulla Behera today said ample focus would be given on early diagnosis of the disease through the special health camps. These camps would be conducted in localities that are close to the vulnerable pockets. The health camps will be organised near the affected localities of Mangalabag, Thoria Sahi and Jobra where maximum cases of jaundice have been reported.

Out of the total 165 cases of jaundice, 35 persons were admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, 12 at City Hospital and one at Sishu Bhavan.

The district administration is also clamping restrictions on setting up of temporary drinking water kiosks in several localities with the onset of summer. 'We will shortly issue instructions to voluntary organisations as well as the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to postpone the setting up of water kiosks by at least eight to 10 days,' said Behera.

Behera said the temporary restrictions on setting up of the drinking water kiosks would continue till there were reports of no fresh cases of the disease in the corporation limits.

Official sources said no fresh cases of jaundice had been reported in the past 48 hours.

The health department has also decided to distribute halogen tablets to various voluntary organisations keen to set up temporary drinking water units in various parts of the city. So far, over 13 lakh halogen tablets have been distributed among residents in several localities in the corporation limits.

Apart from this, the public health department will also be asked to ensure the supply of safe drinking water in places where the civic body will set up temporary drinking water units, mostly in the crowded places of the city.

Already a massive awareness drive has been launched and over 256 health workers have been roped in to educate people about the need to consume safe drinking water.

Officials have replaced over 3,500 old pipelines, and special squads are carrying out an operation to detect leakages in the water supply lines.

A civic body official said the process of cleaning the major drains had been intensified. Assistance is being given to the department officials to detect leakages in the water distribution lines.