3 dead, 90 hospitalised in Guntur after consumption of contaminated water 

GUNTUR: Three persons died and around 90 were hospitalised following the outbreak of diarrhoea in Guntur district, reportedly after consumption of drinking water from municipal taps in Anandpeta, Sangadigunta and nearby areas of Guntur city since Monday evening.

Though 90 were admitted to the Government General Hospital and Fever Hospital as per official figures, the number could be double as there were several cases that went unreported.

Two of the victims -- Syed Sahina (24) and Sk Bibijan (70) died on Monday while undergoing treatment and another woman Sk Fatimun (55) died on Tuesday. Fatimun was also suffering from other ailments.
Meanwhile, civic officials, who dismissed the reports of supplying contaminated water to the households in Anandapet and other areas, hurriedly organised 10 medical camps and took up door-to-door survey to identify victims and collect samples of water and blood.

According to them, as many as 268 water samples were collected. Authorities claimed that food poisoning could be the reason for the outbreak of diarrhoea cases.  However, people who were hospitalised and later discharged said that they had loose motions and vomitings after drinking water supplied by the civic body.  “I got sick after consuming water. It was very smelly,” V Koteswaramma, a 65-year-old from Anandapeta said.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr J Yasmin, who monitored the situation since morning, said arrangements were made to treat the affected round the clock at NTR Health Centre and GGH. She said a total 168 blood samples were collected during the health checkups. According to her, 70,813 people were checked by special teams from malaria department.

GMC commissioner Ch Anuradha, who visited the area from where the diarrhea cases were reported, directed the special teams to collect drinking water samples every day while supplying through pipelines in the early hours.

Later in the day, district collector K Sasidhar inspected the affected areas — Ponnur Road, Anandpeta — and interacted with the residents.

25 kids, women fall sick after drinking water in EG dist

Around 25 children and women fell sick after reportedly drinking contaminated water in Jaggampeta of East Godavari district on Tuesday. Five of those admitted to Jagampeta hospital were shifted to the Kakinada Government Hospital as their condition was serious.