6-month-old child dies after diarrhea, high fever; contaminated water suspected to be the cause: Understanding how waterborne bacteria can put life at risk and how to stay protected

Madhya Pradesh’s Indore is facing a public health emergency as the Bhagirathpura locality has been hit by a waterborne disease outbreak, with 9 confirmed deaths and over 1400 affected. Now, the death of a 6-month-old child has raised outrage. The infant died after diarrhea and high-fever, and contaminated water is suspected to be the cause.

The father of the child said, “He had diarrhoea and fever. We took him to the doctor on December 26. The doctor gave medicine and we brought him home. The child was fine for two days but again, suddenly, at night, he developed a very high fever. He vomited, and he died at home on December 29. This child was born after 10 years. I have a daughter, and this son was born 10 years later. He was 6 months old.”




According to Media reports, the outbreak began after sewage water from a local toilet seeped in the bhagirathpura water supply. After the contamination, locals began developing symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration and high fever. The Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr. Madhav Prasad Hasani confirmed that lab tests have detected contamination in drinking water caused by a leak in the main supply pipeline.

How waterborne bacteria can put life at risk

The World Health Organisation notes that contaminated drinking water is one of the most underestimated public health threats globally. Water-borne bacteria present in the contaminated water can cause rapid severe infections. Also, the water-continated by sewage water, as in the Indore case, may carry bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio cholerae.

A study titled “Health risks to children from exposure to fecally-contaminated recreational water”, published in the PLOS One Journals notes:

• Exposure to sewage-polluted water is linked to diarrhea, vomiting, fever and in severe cases can lead to hospitalisation.

• In young children, these infections can escalate rapidly, leading to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, sepsis, and organ failure, outcomes that can become life-threatening within hours if treatment is delayed.

How to stay protected from contaminated water

While the devastating mishap can not be undone, and proper sanitization of the water will hopefully be done by government-level measures, it is important to know how to stay protected from water contamination in such life-threatening situations. Here are some recommendations from US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Boil water

CDC notes consuming boiled water is the best way to kill germs.

• Disinfect

CDC notes chemical disinfectants can kill most germs in water. These include: unscented household chlorine bleach, iodine, or chlorine dioxide tablets.

Note- These measures are for emergency situations, and these do not guarantee safety against waterborne illnesses. It is recommended to avoid consumption of contaminated drinking water.