At least one person has died and more than 315 admitted to a government hospital in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru town following an undiagnosed illness in the past couple of days, The Hindu reported on Monday.
The number of patients was 55 on Saturday midnight and rose to 170 by Sunday morning. It climbed to 270 by Sunday evening and 315 by midnight. Reports also said that 50 more people were getting treated for the illness at private hospitals.
Doctors said that those suffering from the ailment developed headache, dizziness and epilepsy-like symptoms. Most of the cases reported came from Kothapeta, Kobbari Thota, Arundhatipeta and Toorpu Veedhi.
A 45-year-old man died due to the disease on Sunday evening, his family members said, the Hindustan Times reported. He was identified as Sridhar from Vidyanagar area of the city. Doctors said Sridhar died of other symptoms as he had recovered from his epilepsy symptoms. The police have for a post-mortem of the deceased.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has ordered an inquiry into matter, said Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas. He added that 170 people have been discharged and a house-to-house survey was being conducted.
Reddy will visit the hospitals where the patients are admitted later on Monday, India Today reported. He will also hold meetings with the district officials.
The district administration has declared a holiday in educational institutions across Eluru. A 24x7 control room has been set up in the Eluru Municipal Corporation office. Milk samples are being collected at random and sent for examination to Vijayawada.
A team of doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalgiri, scientists of National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology have been sent to find the source of the illness.
Health authorities said they could find the cause of the illness through blood tests and Computed tomography, or CT scan, of the brain were performed. District Joint Collector Himanshu Shukla said E. Coli results were awaited. Doctors also said that Covid-19 tests were also negative. The probable cause can be found out only after the culture test results came in.
Shukla said emergency numbers 9154565529 and 9154592617 have been set up. “GGH [Government General Hospital] Superintendent AVR Mohan and District Coordinator of Hospital Services Dr Mohan Rao are monitoring the situation round the clock,” he added.
District Medical and Health Officer Dr Sunanda said the recovery rate was good and there was no need to panic.
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