Amaravati: At least one person has died from a mystery disease and over 400 people have been hospitalised, in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru town.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy visited the Eluru government hospital where patients who contracted the mysterious disease are admitted. He sat by their bedside and asked them about their health and treatment receiving. Hundreds of residents of Eluru were hospitalised after patients complained of headache, vomiting, giddiness and epilepsy-like symptoms.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare has deployed a Central team comprising three doctors to West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh where more than 400 people have been hospitalised so far due to a mysterious illness.
A 45-year-old man, who was admitted to the GGH in Eluru on Sunday with symptoms of nausea and epilepsy, died on Sunday evening. Of the 400 people hospitalised, over 200 were later discharged.
Minister of state for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy, in a statement, said, “In order to find out the root causes of such sudden illness, the authorities of AIIMS, New Delhi, are in continuous discussion with the health department officials of the state government.” The state government has also been requested to collect samples for further examination. A team of doctors from AIIMS Mangalgiri, scientists of National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, have been sent to Eluru to ascertain the source of illness. The officials are yet to ascertain the reasons for the mysterious ailment that saw people suddenly falling unconscious after suffering from symptoms of fits and nausea. They have conducted blood tests and CT scans to ascertain the possible reasons.
Meanwhile, TDP national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday accused the Jaganmohan Reddy government of trying to cover up the reasons for the Eluru mystery illness instead of taking proactive measures to save the people from the unexpected health crisis.
Naidu advised the CM to give his personal attention to the needy for restoring normalcy in the West Godavari town without abdicating his immediate responsibility to create confidence in the local people. It was only because of the government’s failure to provide clean drinking water and proper sanitation that the present situation was prevailing in Eluru, Naidu alleged.
Addressing a press conference here, the TDP chief said that it was wrong on the part of the Health Minister to say that there was no water contamination or drainage problems. It was also incorrect to dismiss the symptoms of the affected residents as mass hysteria. By saying so, the government was abdicating its responsibility at a time when the people badly required all possible help. One person died and over 400 have fallen ill till now, but the state government was taking it lightly, Naidu said.
Naidu said that there was prima facie evidence to say that the people were falling ill due to water contamination or air pollution. There might be lapses in drinking water lines getting contaminated with drainage. Or, there might be problems caused by wrong chlorination or improper use of pesticides meant for mosquito control. Under such a panic situation, CM Jagan should have stayed in Eluru for two to three days and given proper leadership. But, the CM preferred to halt for a while in Eluru and then went on his way to attend marriages which was totally unbecoming of a leader in such a crisis situation.Stating that people of all ages from below 12 years to above 70 years were falling victims, Naidu stressed the need for a deep study of the mystery disease. The affected persons were developing fits and frothing at their mouths and falling down suddenly and unexpectedly. A 70-year-old woman fell down while cooking, while a 12-year-old girl developed fits during a visit to a temple.
The TDP chief also asked why the Chief Minister was still hesitating to impose a health emergency in Eluru so as to initiate all required steps in order to restore normalcy as early as possible.