RAVINUTALA (KHAMMAM dISTRICT) : Despite death toll reaching 23 in Ravinutala, L-Govindapuram and Bonakal of Khammam district, Health minister C Laxma Reddy claimed that only two people had died due to to dengue.
The Health minister along with Roads And Buildings minister Thummala Nageshwar Rao on Tuesday, visited these areas. The ministers claimed that though fever was prevalent in these areas but all cases were not dengue. “People need not worry as the situation is under control. Though many are suffering from fever, but they are not all dengue. Only two deaths have been recorded due to dengue.
People are linking all deaths due to dengue,” Reddy said. He conceded that there were many dengue cases but insisited that the government had prepared a plan in advance to deal with the dreaded disease.
He said that the government had sent teams to affected areas, especially agency areas for creating awareness about the disease. However, he admitted that the awareness programme was not effective in few places resulting in the outbreak.
“As many as 351 dengue positive cases have been noticed in the affected areas,” Reddy said. The health minister said Medical and Health department had appointed a medical team from Hyderabad to deal with dengue and viral infections.
“We have asked medical and health department officials to coordinate with Rural Water Supply Department (RWS) and Panchayatraj department for the awareness programmes on the control of viral and dengue fevers,” the health minister said. Rao asked collector DS Lokesh kumar to sanction funds to improve sanitation.
Fearing protests over failure to contain dengue, the ministers made their visit under heavy police protection. Special forces were deployed and the duo spent an hour in the three villages. They met with some patients but not everyone was allowed to meet the ministers.