India, June 12 -- A severe outbreak of diarrhoea has gripped Odisha's Jajpur district, claiming at least nine lives so far and infecting more than 500 people. The situation has raised alarm with the increasing number of patients from Jajpur Town, Korei, Danagadi, Dharmasala, Rasulpur, Vyasanagar, and Badachana.

The outbreak is suspected to be caused by food poisoning and the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The rapid spread has overwhelmed various community health centres, with patients being referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack due to lack of hospital beds in Jajpur.

At Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital and Jajati Keshari Medical College and Hospital, long queues of diarrhoea patients can be seen. Due...