GUNTUR: A 37-year-old man died at the Guntur Government General Hospital on Friday reportedly due to chicken pox. The deceased, identified as Mohammad Iqbal from Railpet in the city, was admitted to the hospital on February 10, the same day when a number of people fell sick allegedly due to water contamination.
While the hospital authorities have asserted that Iqbal died due to chicken pox, his family alleged that the cause of his death was diarrhoea and vomiting due to the contamination of water.
According to officials, Iqbal was admitted to the GGH with fever and was diagnosed with chicken pox. Despite the doctor’s instructions to stay in the hospital and receive proper treatment, he left the next day. As his condition deteriorated, he was admitted to the hospital again on Thursday night and died on Friday morning, hospital officials said.
As many as 21 people from across the city were admitted to the GGH with diarrhoea and vomiting on February 10. While the number increased to 190 within a few days, more than 100 patients have been discharged by Friday.
Guntur district collector M Venugopal Reddy held a review meeting and instructed the officials to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to the citizens. He directed the officials to take up special sanitation works in the affected areas. He asked them to continue conducting the health camps.
Guntur Municipal Corporation chief Kirthi Chekuri emphasised that the civic body has taken up works to replace water pipelines near drains to prevent water contamination. She also said chlorinated water is being supplied through tankers across the city.
Medical and health regional director Dr Shoba Rani, DMHO Dr Vijaya Lakshmi, GGH superintendent Dr Kiran Kumar, and other officials were present.