East Godavari district hospitals are witnessing spurt in number of patients affected with viral fever. With the increase in number of inpatients from the agency areas, Government of Andhra Pradesh declared health emergency in the district. Doctors attributed the reasons for viral fever to contamination water. Drinking water schemes by the TDP government have failed to work in the Agency areas.

Hundreds of people are being treated in both government and private hospitals. One more kid died in Chaparai village of Y Ramavaram mandal in East Godavari district on Wednesday increasing the toll to 17 deaths in the tribal area. The boy was suffering from malaria and died while being shifted to Kakinada for better treatment. Another 200 people were taken sick and officers are making arrangements to shift them to hospitals in Rampachodaram and Visakhapatnam.

CPI and Congress have earlier demanded the government to declare health emergency. 117 people in the Yetapaka and 273 people in V R Puram are suffering from viral fever. Around 31 Koyas have fallen sick. The medical staff and doctors are collecting blood samples from the victims and provide appropriate medication.

As per the reports, as many as 2,264 cases have been registered in East Godavari district alone. Vishakapatnama and Vizianagaram have registered 1,600 and 1,000 malaria cases respectively. With the onset of monsoon, about 6,000 malaria cases have been registered in the State. Doctors and officials are requesting people to take measures to avoid these diseases.