The public health system in Andhra Pradesh is under severe test with the outbreak of a number of viral and bacterial diseases. Dengue, cholera, gastro-enteritis, malaria and, lately, a mysterious viral fever are among the diseases reported from various districts, creating a crisis of sorts in the health department. More than 45 children succumbed to the viral fever and 387 had been admitted to various district hospitals in the state. Several children had been admitted to private hospitals as well.

Nine more children died on Saturday and three on Sunday. On Saturday four of the deaths were reported at MGM Hospital at Warangal and two each at the worst-affected Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts. On Sunday two more boys died at Warangal and one at Mehboobnagar. With this the total number of children died of viral fever in the state comes to 46, officially. Of these 30 died in Karimnagar, eight in Nizamabad, six in Warangal, one in Nalgonda and one in Mehboobnagar in the past six weeks.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited the government hospital in Karimnagar and reported to have admitted laxity in the implementation of epidemic control measures. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to the kin of children who died due to the mystery illness.

According to a report from Karimnagar, 224 children suffering from different fevers had been admitted to the District Hospital, while the critical cases had been referred to Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad. The hospital has opened five new wards and is also providing payment rooms. Additional beds and mattresses were procured from other hospitals. About 50 children were admitted in the Jagtial Government Hospital, 27 in Pedapalli, 9 in Godavarikani, six in Manthani and five in Metpally hospital.

The disease has spread to unaffected mandals like Yellandu, Gundala, Burghampahad, Pinapaqka, Venkatapuram and Kukkunuru.

The Director of Health, Srinivas Sarma, has been forced by the Health Minister, Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, to go on leave, and the District Medical & Health Officer of Karimnagar, Dr Kesava Rao, has been suspended for inaction in tackling the viral fever in his district. The Additional Director of Health, P Laxmi Rajyam, has been appointed the in-charge Director of Health. The government has also deputed 12 senior health officers to guide the district officers in controlling the diseases.

While the doctors are perplexed over the sudden outbreak of the viral fever, separate teams of scientists from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), New Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, had visited the affected areas and collected samples from the patients to isolate the virus.

Dr K Anji Reddy, Director-General of Medical and Health Services, said Japanese Encephalitis was ruled out in Karimnagar and Nizamabad since laboratory tests conducted by an institute in Hyderabad had proved negative. Moreover, JE, which is transmitted by mosquito with pigs or birds acting as carriers, usually breaks out in September/October. But the symptoms were quite similar with children suffering from oedema of the brain and epileptic fits before slipping into unconsciousness. Children, who were anaemic or with low resistance, succumbed to the fever.

Two children from Karimnagar, who were admitted to Niloufer Children's Hospital; in Hyderabad, tested positive for Dengue fever. The condition of both the children are reported to be stable.

Meanwhile, results of blood samples send to NICD, New Delhi, from children suffering from high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and convulsions, tested negative for measles and JE.