The diarrhoea outbreak in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district continued to take lives as one more person succumbed to the health condition on Tuesday, taking the total death toll to 12.

According to reports, around 70 people have tested positive for diarrhoea and are presently undergoing treatment at the Guntur Government Hospital (GGH), and the number is expected to rise steeply.

This comes despite the Guntur Municipal Corporation’s (GMC) efforts to check the spread of diarrhoea.

Guntur east MLA Mustafa on Tuesday visited several areas and assured the kin of the deceased that Rs 10 lakh would be paid in compensation. He said that the authorities were working on improving the drinking water supply system to check the spread of diarrhoea.

The legislator also alleged that the GGH was shifting a few patients to private hospitals, as it lacked the infrastructure to treat the patients.

Earlier in the week, the GMC’s shocking findings revealed that 225 water pipelines pass through drains at area like Anandpet and old Guntur, where E coli bacteria was present in the water samples.

“The sporadic outbreak of GE is alarming and we have started 10 medical camps in the wards. We have collected samples of water and are investigating for any contamination. We have also set up a special ward on the GGH premises,” District Collector Kona Sasidhar earlier told reporters.

The issue even reached the Assembly, as TDP MLA D Narendra Kumar expressed concern on the matter while participating in the House’s Question Hour on Thursday.

Drainage pipes which were laid 40 years ago, were not repaired by the GMC, which led to the contamination of drinking water, the MLA alleged.

Responding to various questions, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said that the state government had taken several steps to curb the spread of the condition, including supplying 100 MLD of drinking water to Guntur city.

Stating that water samples from several households were thoroughly checked, and extra ambulances had been deployed where such cases were being reported, the Minister also said that door-to-door campaigns were being conducted.

He also assured the kin of the deceased that the government would sanction the ex-gratia amount soon.