Agency in grip of viral fevers

Rampachodavaram (ASR District): Viral fevers and seasonal diseases are now taking over the areas in the Agency that were inundated by rains and floods recently. The number of patients in many hospitals is increasing.

Though the officials said that 1,168 people are suffering from fever, in fact, the number of people suffering from fever is estimated to be more than 3,000 across the district. While many suffer with dengue symptoms, the rest have malaria. There is an outbreak of fevers in 35 villages of Yetapaka mandal including Marumuru, Nandigama, Erragattu and Raghavapuram. In Chinturu, the intensity is high in Kuyuguru and Kalleru of Kalleru Panchayat. There are more than 50 RMPs in the respective mandals and they are attending the patients.

There are reportedly more than 80,000 families in these four mandals and only nine PHCs. Each PHC has a doctor and other staff. There is a community health centre in Kunavaram and an area hospital in Chinturu. It is said that doctors will visit these hospitals three days per week on deputation from Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada.

Malaria and dengue fever are spreading in Rampachodavaram agency area. ITDA Project Officer Suraj Ganore confirmed that two malaria cases have been detected within Rampachodavaram ITDA. He said that spraying has been carried out as per malaria protocol in those areas. "We are trying to provide better treatment to the victims," he added.

The situation in Chinturu and Kunavaram areas has become miserable with high number of patients. D Ravi, a villager of Yetapaka and chairman of Education Committee of local Primary School, noted that seasonal diseases are prevalent due to reasons like drinking flood water in streams, poor sanitation in villages and the proliferation of mosquitoes.

All the 200 beds in Paderu Hospital were filled with patients. Hospital staff said that most of the patients were students of ashram schools.

Sode Krantikumar, a resident of Kuyaguru, Chintur mandal, undergone treatment for fever at an area hospital from July 23 to 28. He was shifted to a private hospital in Bhadrachalam as the fever didn't come down. It was confirmed that he was suffering from dengue and died on Sunday due to drop in platelets.

Kaka Arjun Dora, a resident of Murumuru in Yetapaka mandal, said that his two children were infected with viral fever and it costed Rs 3,500 for the treatment.

Vasala Ramu and Ravva Bhadramma of Chinturu mandal died of fever last week, according to locals.