Sambalpur, March 23 -- Panic gripped Hirakud township of Odisha's Sambalpur district with nearly 130 persons falling sick since last three days and one of them succumbing today at VIMSAR Burla. All of them had complained of diarrhoea and vomitting. It is suspected that consumption of contaminated water could have led to the diarrhoea outbreak.

As per reports, as many as 127 persons in the slum areas of Hirakud were hospitalised since March 21 with some of them being shifted to VIMSAR Burla after their condition worsened. The patients hailed from Kalupada, Goupada, Gurudwarapada and Newmarketpada. While 36 patients were admitted to the hospital on March 21, 42 were admitted on March 22nd and 49 of them the following day.

Doctors at Hirak...