Eateries to be asked to serve purified water

HYDERABAD: With cases of viral fever and other seasonal diseases on the rise, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and district Medical and Health officials are planning to impose a new rule for all eateries to serve only purified water to customers.  S Aleem Basha, additional commissioner, Health and Sanitation, GHMC told Express they would convene a meeting soon with managements of small and middle-level hotels and fast food centres to take a decision in this respect. “We have constituted various teams comprising health assistants to identify localities where people are falling sick after drinking contaminated water. The teams will also provide medical facilities to people living in slums,” he added.Meanwhile, the surge in number of people suffering from water-borne diseases has been attributed to the change in weather. Hospitals are reporting an increase in cases related to viral fever, vomiting, cold, cough and other diseases.  According to a duty doctor in the Government Fever Hospital, around 100 patients with viral fever are visiting the hospital every day. He added that most of them were working professionals in the 25-30 years age group.Dr BL Veena Kumari, District Medical and Health Officer said there has been a surge in cases related to seasonal diseases. In a primary investigation, doctors found the increase in water-borne diseases due to consumption of contaminated water. “From January to June, 12,000 cases of viral fever, cold, cough, and other seasonal diseases were reported from the Gandhi, Osmania, Niloufer, Fever and other government hospitals in the city. In previous year, we received only 1,100 cases from the Fever Hospital. We are coordinating with respective hospital superintendents to provide proper medical facilities to patients,” she added.