Cuttack, March 29: The district administration today confirmed the outbreak of Hepatitis A and E at Jobra after conducting tests of the affected persons' blood samples at the microbiology department of SCB hospital here.

Hepatitis A and E are spread usually due to faecal contamination through food and water. "It is now confirmed that there is an outbreak of Hepatitis A and E at Jobra. Adequate measures, including detection of leakages in drinking water pipelines, are being undertaken," said district collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra.

Chief district medical officer Prafulla Behera said that of the five samples, earlier collected from Jobra, two were tested positive. Four new cases jaundice were reported from Jobra today.

However, the fresh analysis report has now raised doubts over the testing methods adopted by the public health department as it had earlier claimed that no bacterial infection or presence were found in water samples analysed by it.

The department had collected water samples from 22 sources at Jobra.

Sources said the department here conducted water testing through H2S kits, which is mainly a preliminary test to find the presence of any bacteria. It is a portable indicator, and subsequently, the sample is sent for advanced test to ascertain the source and type of infection.

The bacteriological analysis of two water samples by the authorities have also found presence of E-coli, which may pose serious health hazards. The presence of E coli in water is a strong indication of recent sewage, animal or human waste contamination.

"The tests conducted by the pathology unit have found the presence of E-coli. Already mobile health units are conducting door-to-door screening of patients and halogen tablets are being distributed," said Behera.

So far, 44 persons have been tested positive since the outbreak of viral infection in the past two weeks.

The return of jaundice, especially at Jobra, has now emerged as a major concern.

"We have not come across any leakages in our main service connection and already 27 domestic connection lines that were passing through drainage channels have been realigned," said the department's assistant engineer Bhawani Shankar Mohanty.

A delegation of the Congress and the BJP has demanded urgent and immediate measures on part of the district administration for immediate replacement of the old pipelines to prevent jaundice outbreak in other parts of the city.