Cuttack, Dec. 10: A fresh jaundice outbreak, again after six months, has prompted the civic body to take action to combat it.

The disease had affected about 60 persons between March and May because of water contamination caused by broken pipelines.

Confirming the outbreak, city health officer P.K. Pradhan said eight cases were detected today at Matha Sahi in ward No. 8.

"Preliminary inquiry indicated that drinking water source had caused their infection. Water samples from the locality have been sent for laboratory testing," Pradhan said.

This time again, the outbreak has been attributed to contamination of drinking water because of leakage in pipelines close to drains. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has initiated preventive measures focusing on maintaining proper sanitation by ensuring hygiene and cleanliness to prevent the spread of the disease in the area.

"We are appealing to the people to drink only boiled water," he said.

Matha Sahi resident Kalyan Patnaik said: "Replacing pipelines has always been restricted to the affected areas. Unless all leaking and corroding pipelines are fixed, such outbreaks cannot be prevented."

The civic administration claimed that steps were taken to repair and replace the leaking pipelines in the area.

"Drain desilting and aligning the drinking water pipelines have been taken up on priority basis," said head of standing committee for health Ranjan Biswal. He said the unauthorised household connections detected in the process would be disconnected.

"Preventive measures would be taken to combat the disease and sufficient drinking water would be supplied through tankers in the locality," Biswal said.

A public health department official said arrangement had been made to supply drinking water twice a day through tankers.

Between March and May, the disease had affected around 60 persons. While, 48 cases were detected at Jobra alone, the rest were reported from - Mehendipur, Kesharpur, Samadhipatna, Darghapatna and Haripur.

Civic officials said Matha Sahi was not been identified as "vulnerable to jaundice" in the survey that had followed the outbreak.

In 2014, there had been two jaundice outbreaks in the city. While 36 cases were detected at Chauliaganj in April, 60 were detected at Alamchand Bazar, Mehendipur, Kaligali and Kazi Bazar in September.