Food poisoning, coupled with seasonal fevers, is said to be the reason for the death of 15 tribal people, including four children, in a span of two weeks in the Chaparayi hamlet under the Boddagandi panchayat of Y. Ramavaram mandal in East Godavari district.
‘Food poisoning’
With the media breaking the news on Sunday, the district administration headed by Collector Kartikeya Misra rushed to the agency area and camped at Rampachodavaram by evening.
The officials attributed the deaths to possible food poisoning, while the residents complained of the non-availability of safe drinking water.
Complaints of diarrhoea, headache and chill began on June 2, two days after a grand wedding in the hamlet.
As it is away from the rest of the agency — a six-kilometre walk is mandatory to reach the place — the tribals could not get help.
The absence of medical facilities and failure of traditional treatment with herbs and nuts aggravted the problem.
The series of deaths began on June 18 and continued till the morning hours of Sunday.
“It is very difficult to figure out the reason for their ill-health at this moment. We are on the job of providing them immediate treatment and, at the same time, focussing on their medical history,” T. Ramesh Kishore, a duty doctor at the Rampachodavaram medical camp told The Hindu over telephone.
Mr. Misra said the district headquarters had got information on the deaths on Saturday night and alerted the officials of the ITDA and the medical department immediately.
“Members of a special team reached the hamlet on Sunday morning. Besides opening medical camps in the Agency area, we are ready to send the ill to Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram hospitals,” the Collector said.
