RAMPACHODAVARAM : Medical tests conducted on 30 patients at the Rampachodavaram Government Hospital revealed that 24 of them are suffering from malaria. Not ruling out the possibility that drinking water from a stream contaminated with the carcass of a cow could have had serious health implications on the patients, doctors said consuming dirty water and food can have a long-term affect on immunity.
“The first couple of cases, with symptoms including vomiting, stomach pain, motions etc could be due to consuming contaminated food or water, but even now the number of cases are rising by the day,” Dr Ram, a paediatrician at the hospital said.
“In the case of food poisoning, the symptoms will be seen mostly in less than 72 hours. Moreover, not all the symptoms being shown by the patients point to food poisoning. Most patients are suffering from fever, weakness and have low haemoglobin levels.
Very few symptoms are of food poisoning,” the doctor said. “The villagers, especially kids do not get proper food. Most children have very low haemoglobin levels. Nothing is being done to curb the menace of mosquitoes in the region,” another doctor said. Meanwhile, 13 more persons from Chaparai have been hospitalised.