AMALAPURAM: Health authorities in Konaseema district have reported a spike in hepatitis infections in Pallam village, following over 10 days of persistent fever cases and illness among residents.
District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Durga Rao Dora confirmed 19 Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBSAG) cases and nine Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections after a large-scale screening of over 2,300 residents. He said the cluster warranted special attention and assured that medical teams were monitoring the situation and taking preventive measures. Officials linked the outbreak to poor sanitation in the riverside village, which lacks basic facilities such as public toilets or individual latrines. Open defecation remains widespread, contaminating groundwater, especially during seasonal flooding. The majority of affected individuals belong to the fishermen community living in low-lying, waterlogged areas.
Most residents depend on Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at Katrenikona and Pallamkurru. Though Pallam falls under Katrenikona PHC’s jurisdiction, people mostly visit Pallamkurru PHC due to its proximity. The PHC, serving more than 25,000 people from Pallamkurru, Kandikuppa, and Balusuthippa panchayats, faces staff shortages, with key posts such as public health nurse, male health supervisor, and senior assistant remaining vacant.
To contain the spread, the DMHO deployed 10 ward-level monitoring teams and organised a medical camp for general check-ups. Most of the cases were detected in wards 3 to 7. Health workers, including Anganwadi and ASHA staff, along with ANMs, launched door-to-door awareness campaigns, advising residents to drink only boiled or treated water, maintain hygiene, and avoid contaminated food. RWS officials have been directed to inspect community water sources and pipelines and fix any leaks within 24 hours.