Malaria, dengue fever grips East Godavari

Kakinada: The increasing garbage in towns and villages has become a hub for mosquitoes. Owing to lack of precautionary steps by authorities, diseases such as malaria and dengue have been on rise. Adding to woes, the rains have led to an increase in the number of mosquito borne cases in East Godavari district. Several cases of typhoid fever, malaria and dengue have been reported in the district.

Recently, a five-year-old reportedly died of malaria in E Gokavaram village of Prathipadu mandal, last week. Although, the villagers are accusing lack of proper treatment to be the cause, simultaneously 17 persons have been reported to be suffering from malaria. From January to July 20, 88 cases of dengue and 303 cases of malaria have been reported in the district this year. In 2015, about 59 dengue cases had been recorded in the district officially, the mosquito borne disease amplified in 2016 due to lack proper prevention methods, and this year the toll stood at 336 cases. About 170 dengue cases were reported last year.

Many cases of malaria have been reported in the agency mandals including Y Ramavaram, Addatheegala, Rajavommongi, Maredumilli, Chintur and Devipatnam.

In the past, smoking and spraying were done thrice a year, but now authorities seem to have become ignorant. The tribals have been accusing that mosquitoes are amplifying due to lack of proper spraying in the agency area.