Panic in Gurgaon as 96 residents of upscale society fall ill, water contamination suspected - know more

Gurugram: Residents of an upscale, gated housing complex in Gurugram are in a state of panic as nearly 100 people fell ill after allegedly drinking contaminated water. The district health department examined 200 people and treated 96 people for nausea and vomiting at DLF Westend Heights condominium in Sector 53 of Gurugram, an official said. A two-year-old child has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition, he said.

"We conducted a home-to-home survey at the residential complex. We also took samples of water and the report will be out in 72 hours. We have given medicines to 96 people for nausea and vomiting, while a two-year-old child is hospitalised," CMO Virender Yadav told PTI.

Meanwhile, the residential society has barred all residents from using regular water for drinking and also closed the swimming pool. "A majority of people residing in the society started falling ill Thursday (May 26) night. People were vomiting and had diarrhea and stomach ache. They rushed to doctors and by Friday morning, every house had at least one ill person," Ritu Bhariok, a resident of the condominium, said. "We have stopped using regular water and got mineral water cans as of now. While many were checked by the health department team, others rushed to private hospitals," she was quoted by PTI.

The society's RWA president Rajiv Sant refused to comment on the matter, saying he was out of town. According to a health department official, the condominium has 370 flats where around 1,500 people live. Priti Anand, the residents’ welfare association secretary, told media outlets that her domestic help had fallen sick and as she was vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea, they had initially assumed that it was a case of food poisoning. But she said that when she found out that several residents of the society were showing similar symptoms, she realised that something was amiss and they informed the authorities. 

(With PTI inputs)