VIJAYAWADA : Concerns are mounting among the residents of Vijayawada as a surge in diarrhoea cases has allegedly led to one fatality on Monday and left 50 others ill. According to medical and health officials, eight patients are currently undergoing treatment, two of whom are at the Vijayawada Government General Hospital (GGH) and the remaining in various private hospitals as of Wednesday evening. The Vijayawada GGH has established a dedicated 30-bed ward to accommodate the influx of patients affected by the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) authorities assert that the death of 47-year-old Vallur Durga Rao from Moghalrajpuram is not linked to contaminated tap water.
The ongoing admissions of patients with diarrhoea symptoms have intensified public fears regarding water safety in the city. The medical and health department has organised a medical camp at Moghalrajpuram, and municipal workers are conducting sanitation works across the area, cleaning the water tank and supplying water through tankers.
The crisis began when Vallur Durga Rao, a 47-year-old resident of Boyapati Madhava Rao Street at Moghalrajpuram, experienced severe vomiting and diarrhoea on Sunday morning. As his condition deteriorated overnight, his family rushed him to a private hospital, where doctors deemed his condition critical and recommended an immediate shift to the government hospital. Unfortunately, Durga Rao passed away during the shift.
Nagamani, Durga Rao’s wife, protested that they are using the drinking water supplied by the municipal corporation and her husband died with the symptoms of diarrhoea after consuming it.
However, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Macherla Suhasini said that the deceased had a history of epilepsy and had previously recovered from loose motions and he was brought dead to the hospital.
On arrangements made to tackle the surge in cases, she said that they arranged a medical camp with six-bedded wards and sufficient medications for the patients, besides conducting door-to-door surveys for the past three days.
