Over 200 down with mystery disease: What's going wrong in Andhra's Eluru
Over 200 people were rushed to hospitals after they reported symptoms resembling epilepsy in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru town. Though the situation is said to be under control, authorities are perplexed as to what struck the healthcare system in the state. Doctors were in a fix as the mystery disease continued to affect the population. The situation has left authorities baffled as the affected people were neither related nor they had attended a common event. Medical and health experts were trying to ascertain the cause of the sickness.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was monitoring the situation personally and instructed the officials to be alert. Special focus is on the areas which reported cases and medical camps are being set up to provide treatment to the patients. Door to door survey is being conducted to monitor the health condition of the people, the state health minister said.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
- A total of 227 people, including 46 children and 76 women, were hospitalized while around 70 were discharged after their condition was detected to be stable.
- Officials said the cases were reported from different areas in Eluru town of West Godavari district.
- According to Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Krishna Srinivas, the situation was under control and medical help was being provided to all the needy. He said there was no danger to the lives of the patients.
- The affected patients were brought to the hospital with complaints of giddiness and epilepsy. According to the minister, they complained of sudden collapses, frothing at mouth, and shivering.
- Meanwhile, water samples were sent for testing to the laboratory and no water pollution was reported.
- Blood samples were also sent to a laboratory but no viral infections were detected. All the patients tested negative for coronavirus.
- Most of the affected people were the elderly and children.
- Health Minister said 150 beds in Eluru and 50 beds in Vijayawada were kept ready for any emergency. He assured that there was no need for any panic.
- Authorities have been asked to ensure the availability of emergency medicines to deal with any situation.
- Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has directed officials of the local administration and Medical and Health department to inquire reasons behind such a large number of people suddenly falling ill. He has asked the officials to take the advice of experts on the issue and take immediate steps to resolve the issue and create awareness among people on the precautions to be followed.
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