More than 50 probationary excise sub-inspectors of police, receiving training at the AP Prohibition and Excise Academy at Bandlaguda on the outskirts of the city, have been hospitalised with a highly contagious infection.
The condition of all of them, who are being treated at Fever Hospital in Nallakunta in the city, is said to be stable.
The affected persons, including some women, have been getting training at the academy for the past one month. The affected persons complained that the authorities failed to provide clean drinking water and food and also made them to do drills on dusty ground which caused the infection.
They complained of fever and severe throat pain on Saturday and some of them could not attend the training. They were taken to a private hospital and sent back after some treatment. When their condition did not improve by night, they were shifted to Fever Hospital at Nallakunta for better treatment.
Though initially doctors suspected that they were infected with diphtheria, medical tests proved them wrong. ``Tests proved negative for diphtheria. They are infected with some other contagious disease which we might be bacterial or viral,’’ Fever Hospital superintendent Dr K Shankar told Express.
Though more than 70 were affected and hospitalised, the hospital authorities put the number at 50. ``Till afternoon, 41 persons had been affected. Five others were admitted in the evening. Ten of them are women,’’ Shankar said. Hospital authorities, however, said the condition of the affected is stable. They were isolated in various wards of the hospital and are being treated. The probationary SIs complained that they were not provided with proper facilities in the academy which led to their hospitalisation.
“We are not provided any amenities by the academy authorities which led to this situation,’’ they said. The probationary SIs asked the officials to grant them 15 days’ leave so that they can go to their respective places and get treated properly.
Senior officials of the department, who visited the hospital, assured that their training would be put off till the first week of April. Prohibition & excise commissioner Sameer Sharma visited the hospital.