“Mysterious illness” ; One died, and cases reported over 300 in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh; One person died and over 315 people, including women and children, have been admitted to the Government General Hospital reporting an unidentified disease recently. The number of patients, which was 55 on Saturday and 170 on Sunday morning, increased to 270 by evening and 315 by midnight.Unconfirmed accounts stated that 50 more were undergoing treatment in different private hospitals.

Patients experienced dizziness, headache, and epilepsy-like symptoms. Most of the cases reported were from Kobbari Thota, Kothapeta, Toorpu Veedhi, and Arundhatipeta, doctors treating the patients said. Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had assessed the case. A house-to-house survey was being conducted and the situation was under control, the Minister said, adding about 170 were discharged.

Seven patients were taken to Vijayawada for better treatment and their situation is stable, he said. Medical units from various hospitals in West Godavari and Krishna districts, the staff of ward secretariats, and officials of the revenue and police departments hurried to the colonies and were treating the patients in the camps set on the streets.

“Water, food, and blood samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). The reports are awaited. CT scan and X-ray reports of the parents are normal. COVID-19 tests were conducted for all the patients and the results were negative,” doctors said. Collector Revu Mutyala Raju, SP K. Narayan Naik, Joint Collector Himanshu Shukla, senior civil judge D. Balakrishnaiah and other officials visited the government hospital and enquired about the health condition of the patients.

Mr. Shukla said call centers had been set up at the Eluru municipal office. Residents may call over phone nos. 9154565529 and 9154592617 in case of an emergency.“GGH superintendent A.V.R. Mohan and district coordinator of hospital services Dr. Mohan Rao are monitoring the situation round the clock,” Mr. Shukla said. “Patients are complaining of giddiness and headache. The recovery rate is good and there is no need for panic,” District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr. Sunanda said.

Unguturu MLA Vasu Babu, RDO Panabaka Rachana, and Indian Red Cross Society chairman M. Jaya Prakash were among those observing the problem in the affected areas.