There has been an alarming increase in fever cases in the city this season. Disturbingly, the incidence of malaria has gone up. While 14 cases of dengue have been reported that too from the outskirts malaria struck right in the heart of the city.
According to sources, of the 5,662 cases of malaria reported in the district, 2,452 are in the limits of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. This is a sharp jump of more than 1,000 cases than in the corresponding period last year.
The jump is startling considering the fact that there had hardly been any rain worth the name in the previous two months. September, however, has seen heavy spells of rain almost on every day of the month.
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The incidence (of malaria) has not only been heavy but intensive. At Pata Venkojipalem, the number of cases is 189 and at Sitampeta 128, in the heart of the city 128, and Relliveedhi 117. If the situation is so severe in the core area of the city, the peripheral areas from where dengue cases have already been reported could be worse, fear officials.
That the situation was accepted by the Collector V. Seshadri. At a meet the press programme organised by the VJF, he said that the details given to him by the officials showed that the number of cases of malaria and seasonal diseases reported in GVMC area was equal to the number of cases reported from the rural and Agency areas. Thus the district appeared to be endemic, he said.
“My daughter has been suffering from malaria (as diagnosed by a private hospital) for more than a week now and became very weak. I have spent my meagre earnings on her treatment,” said a woman from Gopalapatnam. The superstitious mother shifted her daughter to her village, Saravakota in Srikakulam district, believing that she was “possessed.”
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