NALGONDA: Many residents of Indugula and Yeragandlapally villages of Madgulapally mandal have been experiencing joint pain and fever for the past two months. Indugula village, with a population of 5,000, and Yaragandlapalli, with 2,000 inhabitants, primarily consist of daily wage labourers and farmers, several of whom are now bedridden.
With the number of people experiencing such symptoms increasing daily, District Collector Harichandana Dasari instructed District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Kondal Rao to visit the two villages, assess the situation, and take necessary action. Dr Kondal Rao visited Indugula and Yaragandlapalli on Thursday and inspected the health condition of the patients. Suspecting water contamination due to open drainage in the village, water samples were sent for testing by rural water supply officials.
Dr Kondal Rao said that the ailment afflicting the villagers is diagnosed as “non-specific viral arthritis,” a non-fatal condition where body pains will gradually subside within one or two months. He noted that a similar outbreak occurred in many districts of the state in 2013-14 and assured that appropriate medications have been provided to the patients.
Previously, the district administration had conducted special medical camps in the villages and provided treatment to the affected individuals. Initially suspected to be chikungunya, medications prescribed by doctors failed to alleviate the symptoms over the two-month period. Blood samples from the affected individuals were tested for chikungunya, malaria, and dengue, but all results came back negative.
In an attempt to alleviate the severe body pains, doctors prescribed steroid tablets, resulting in some individuals developing black spots on their faces. However, doctors assured that the spots would fade once the steroid treatment ceased. Officials also took up measures like cleaning the surroundings and fogging, however, no improvement was noted.
V Narsimha, a daily wage labourer, shared that despite receiving treatment from doctors, the fever has diminished, but the body pains persist, hindering his ability to work.
