KAKINADA: Three deaths in three days, of which one is a confirmed dengue case, while others are suspected dengue cases, have raised fears of the rampant spread of the disease in East Godavari, particularly in the district headquarters Kakinada.
The medical and health officials have confirmed that only one person died of dengue. The medical reports of the other two victims are yet to reach the officials to ascertain the cause of death.
District Collector Karthikeya Mishra had issued charge memos to the Panduru PHC staff, including the medical officer, following the death of an electronic media representative, Vamsidhar Madiki, due to dengue in a private hospital in Kakinada on Saturday.
Though he was living in Panduru PHC limits, the medical staff failed to take note of the spread of the disease.
On Sunday, Tholem Srinu (32), a mason, who had been suffering from fever for the past three days, died in Kakinada government hospital. He was initially treated at a private hospital where the doctors the referred the case to the government hospital.
295 dengue cases in East Godavari so far
According to official sources, V Kiran Paul of Kakinada also died of suspected dengue fever in a private hospital on Friday.
A minimum of 20 dengue cases have been reported at Kakinada government general hospital in recent times, while the number of people getting treated for the viral fever in private hospitals is much higher, sources added.
District Medical and Health Officer Dr TSR Murthy has also been suffering from fever for the past two days.
A total of 295 dengue cases have been reported this year so far. Of the total, 39 dengue cases are from Ramachandrapuram division, 62 from Peddapuram, 173 from Kakinada, 12 from Amalapuram, 3 from Rampachodavaram, one from Yetapaka and a few from other places.
Meanwhile, DM&HO Dr Murthy claimed that all fevers are not dengue and viral fevers are common this season. But, he admitted that there was an increase in the number of dengue cases in the district this year.