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BANGALORE – Hundreds of people have been treated for a mysterious illness in a southern Indian city, and a doctor dismissed “mass hysteria” at a time when nerves are already frayed by the coronavirus.
The government quickly dispatched medical experts to Eluru in Andhra Pradesh state to investigate the disease, which first appeared on Saturday and caused seizures, nausea and chronic pain.
Authorities said nearly 500 people have been treated, with most recovering quickly, but the death of a 45-year-old man over the weekend was attributed to the mysterious illness.
India already has the coronavirus with the second highest number of cases in the world and is expected to soon surpass 10 million.
“Some people say it is mass hysteria, but it is not,” said AS Ram, chief physician at the Eluru government hospital.
He said most of the victims had suffered from genuine symptoms, but “we cannot diagnose what is causing them.”
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Other officials pointed to a possible role for chemical additives in pesticides, while residents highlighted a problem with garbage and wild boar.
They released a report on Monday that said symptoms included “epilepsy for 3-5 minutes, forgetfulness, anxiety, vomiting, headache and back pain.”
The government has sent doctors from the National Institute of Virology, the National Center for Disease Control and the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences to investigate.
The team was collecting samples of edible oil, rice, blood and urine for analysis.
“Most patients come in with minor head injuries or a black eye because they suddenly collapsed from the seizure,” Ram said.
“But in an hour or two, most are fine.”
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Police officer Kiran Kumar, who collapsed while on duty Monday, said he had been left “scared” after being semi-conscious for more than two hours.
“My colleagues told me, I yelled something and collapsed. I injured my right shoulder from falling on the road.”
According to district officials, the disease is not transmitted from person to person.
They released a report on Monday that said symptoms included “epilepsy for 3-5 minutes, forgetfulness, anxiety, vomiting, headache and back pain.”
