Two women died of gastroenteritis and 42 others fell sick on Tuesday night at Dastapur village in Kamalapur taluk of the district.
The deceased have been identified as Draupadi Shivaraya (60) and Kamalabai (56). GIMS doctors said Draupadi was admitted to the district hospital in Kalaburagi for further treatment but she breathed her last as she failed to respond to the treatment. Her daughter Pavitra Vidyasagar and grandson Vedanta Vidyasagar, who are also suffering from gastroenteritis, are being treated at the district hospital.
Health department staff said Kamalabai was taken to the hospital in an ambulance on Wednesday but she was declared as brought dead. The 42 others are being treated at different hospitals.
Prakash Khobre, a resident of the village said that the people have been suffering from gastroenteritis in the village for the past one week as drinking water was contaminated. "Taluk health officer did not respond to our appeal that cholera is likely to spread in the village", he alleged.
Taluk Health Officer Maruti Kamble said this problem has cropped up due to consumption of contaminated water and the patients are being treated by deploying two doctors and medical staff in the village.
Gulbarga rural MLA Basavaraj Mattimud announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each personally to the kin of the deceased.
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