Vijayawada: The outbreak of diarrhoea in New Rajarajeswari Peta under Vijayawada Municipal Corporation’s (VMC) 57th Division has worsened, with the number of cases rising to 102 by Thursday evening. Of these, 48 patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, including the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada. A special health camp has been set up at Care and Share High School to provide immediate medical assistance, while NTR District Collector Dr G Lakshmisha has arranged a control room with helpline number 9154970454 for public support.

The outbreak, which began on Tuesday, initially affected around 70 people with complaints of motions and vomiting. While district and VMC authorities suggested that the illness may have spread due to food served at a local function, residents strongly alleged that contaminated drinking water has been the main cause, pointing out that they have been suffering from vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever for several days.

Acting on state government directives, the NTR District Medical and Health Department and VMC Health Department jointly organised the special camp. VMC also suspended the regular water supply to the area and arranged water tankers to meet drinking water needs. A sanitation drive was conducted across the 57th Division under the instructions of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana.

To bring the situation under control, Collector Dr Lakshmisha is personally monitoring developments and has appointed 11 Special Officers one for each Ward Sachivalayam in the division—to oversee safe water supply, sanitation, and medical care for vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Meanwhile, VMC officials have collected water samples for testing and are conducting door-to-door surveys to identify fresh cases. Health officials have urged residents to consume only boiled and filtered water until further notice.

Conversely, former MLA and YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu, along with VMC Deputy Mayor Avuthu Sri Sailaja, CPM State Secretariat Member Ch Babu Rao, and other political party leaders, visited patients receiving treatment at the special health camp located at Care and Share High School in New RR Peta.

They accused the VMC and the state government of negligence concerning the issue of water contamination. Approximately one year ago, around 10 individuals lost their lives due to diarrhoea in Mogalrajapuram. Nevertheless, the VMC officials have not succeeded in addressing the water contamination problem.

CPM leader Ch Babu Rao stated that two individuals died from diarrhoea; however, the government has not verified this information.