The victims in these coastal hamlets have reported symptoms like fever, giddiness, headache, bodyache and nausea and many were admitted to Bhagwati municipal hospital at Borivli for treatment. Doctors at Bhagwati consider it to be a kind of viral fever, but its epidemic proportion has scared the villagers even though the fever has caused no deaths so far. However, BMC health department staff has been sent to the villages to conduct a survey and identify the cause of the illness. Meanwhile the BMC has promised to speed up the process of sanctioning the Rs 24-crore underground drinking water supply project for these residents within a fortnight.

Blood samples sent to Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases at Mahalaxmi have yet to be analysed. At least sixnew cases are reported daily at the Bhagwati Hospital in Borivli, Mayor Nandu Satam informed. ``I have assured a delegation of villagers that met me recently that 24-hour medical aid will be provided to each and every patient. I have also directed a total clean-up operation in the villages within a week,'' he added.

Dr J G Thanekar, deputy executive health officer, who had been to the site stated that at least 10 fever cases were being reported since October 20 and added that the figures had shot up tremendously in the last week.