The Andhra Pradesh government took action on Wednesday by suspending the Municipal Commissioner of Srikakulam after a diarrhoea outbreak in the town resulted in one death and numerous hospitalizations. The suspension of Municipal Commissioner Kurma Rao was due to alleged negligence related to the outbreak, as confirmed by officials. Following the outbreak, cases of diarrhoea have been surfacing in different parts of Srikakulam town over recent days.
Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration, Suresh Kumar, issued the orders for the suspension of the Municipal Commissioner. Srikakulam District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar reported a total of 76 suspected cases identified thus far, with 54 patients currently receiving treatment in various hospitals. Tragically, one death linked to a patient with comorbidities has been recorded. Additionally, two patients are under ventilator support, with medical teams closely monitoring their condition.
Authorities have taken water samples from affected areas for testing, sending them to laboratories in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. Initial tests at the Srikakulam laboratory did not reveal contamination, but results from the Visakhapatnam laboratory are still pending. The Health Department has established medical camps in the affected regions, with the state government announcing coverage of treatment expenses for patients admitted to private hospitals.
Leaders of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), including former ministers Dharmana Krishna Das, Dharmana Prasada Rao, and Dr. Seediri Appala Raju, visited the affected areas and criticized the state government for the outbreak. They attributed the cause to contaminated drinking water and alleged that four deaths have occurred, with several others undergoing treatment in both government and private hospitals. The leaders demanded a thorough investigation, accountability of officials, and immediate actions to ensure the safety of the drinking water supply.
