ANANTAPUR: A joint study of the incidence of fever in the district by experts from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, has been identified as a disease caused by virus and not bacteria.

The experts' team on Tuesday studied the disease in Durgam village in Narpala mandal, Maduguru in Putluru mandal and Marukuntapalli in Kothacheruvu mandal, which strikes with high fever and causes severe joint pains. Though there had been some dozen deaths due to the viral fever in the last one month unofficially, officials claim that there were no deaths at all. Marukuntapalli alone reported three deaths during the last 15 days.

Officials of the Medical and Health Department, however, refused to confirm the deaths as that caused by viral fever.

Experts from NICD and NIV, comprising Deepesh Bhattacharya, Dhariwar, Hansraj and B.V. Tandle, collected blood samples from those suffering from the disease as well as those who were cured. They also collected samples of drinking water and water used for other purposes. In all, the team collected blood samples from 19 patients.

Villagers of Durgam complained that the Medical and Health Department had not visited their village so far. "I borrowed Rs. 50 and visited a doctor at Narpala four days ago. But there has been no relief from either fever or the joint pains," Peddanna, 50, explained. At Marukuntapalli, villagers explained that the fever-hit persons were unable to move without the help of others due to sever joint pains.

Report in a week

"Patients suffering from viral fever have symptoms of malaria and dengue too. But, the exact cause can be confirmed only after the study of virus in the blood samples collected," Dr. Dhariwar said. It would take a week's time to give the report, he said.

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