Following death of a 90-year-old woman and sudden illness of over 50 villagers due to diarrhoea in the hamlets of Shantipuram mandal of Kuppam constituency, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr K. Koteswari directed setting up of emergency medical camps at all the vulnerable areas and monitor condition of the patients round-the-clock.
Speaking to The Hindu , Dr Koteswari said that during the last two days, diarrhoea has been rampant in the rural pockets in Shantipuram mandal. Medical officers and paramedical staff were posted at the medical camp at 24-Pedduru village under the Rallabuduguru public health centre, in addition to round-the-clock surveillance in all the affected villages, where water stagnation and contamination was reported.
The official said that the death of 90-year-old woman at Pedduru village on Tuesday was due to her general weakness and ageing.
She said that people in rural areas, particularly in the western mandals of the district, should be careful with the viral fevers. Dr Koteswari said that wet climate and water stagnation would play havoc with public health. She instructed the health officials at the mandal-levels to arrange tom-tom regarding removal of water stagnation at the village ponds.
“With the onset of monsoons, the problem of viral fevers would generally be felt in the district. Our staff are fully geared up to create public awareness on the seasonal health risks,” she said.
