Pedal edema (swelling in leg), which claimed six lives last year in Vara Ramachandrapuram mandal of East Godavari district, resurfaced again in the Agency area. While one person died with its symptoms on Tuesday, more such cases were reported from Gangavaram, Rampachodavaram and Rajavommangi mandals.
On Tuesday, Sivaganga Parvathi (22), a pregnant woman from Lakkonda village of Gangavaram mandal, complained of high fever and swelling in the leg. She died when shifted to Rampachodavaram area hospital. Her relatives alleged that though she had the symptoms of pedal edema, no doctor attended to her at the area hospital.
Madakam Venkatalakshmi (25) from Marripalem village of Gangavaram mandal with swelling in the leg and red patches on both legs was admitted to Rampachodavaram hospital first and later shifted to Government General Hospital (GGH), Kakinada. Surla Pandlamma of Lankapalem village in Rampachodavaram mandal, Subbalakshmi of Bornagudem, Prasad of Addateegala mandal were admitted to GGH, Kakinada, with symptoms of pedal edema on Monday.
Medical teams
ITDA Project Director A.S. Dinesh Kumar said that special medical teams were formed and they would reach Gangavaram and Rajavommangi mandals along with villages in Rampachodavaram mandal to collect blood samples and also admit the patients already suffering from pedal edema to GGH, Kakinada.
