Villagers hospitalised after outbreak of viral fever, typhoid

Machilipatnam: More than 250 villagers including children have been admitted to various hospitals in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh after an outbreak of viral fever and other related infections, a district health officer said here today.

Krishna District Medical Officer R Nagamalleswari told PTI that water contamination, poor sanitation and climate changes seem to have caused the outbreak.

The health official said that at least 250 people have been admitted to various hospitals in the district, while nearly 70 people were found to be suffering from typhoid.

"We have set up medical camps in affected villages to monitor the situation. Only one death was reported due to viral fever," the health official said.

According to the health official, villagers in Kothamajeru, Thotlavalluru, Lopudi and Muthrasipalem as well as other villages in Krishna district have been suffering from high fever, typhoid and dengue since two months.

Yesterday, AP health minister Kamineni Srinivas visited Kothamajeru village and said that 282 blood samples were collected and that the majority of cases of fever and typhoid are under control.

Incidentally, YSR Congress president and AP Assembly opposition leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had visited the Kothamajeru village two days ago and demanded Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia payments to family members of 18 deceased.