Updated: December 9, 2020 8:36:17 am
A victim on the way to Eluru’s hospital. (Express photo)
IN THE MIDST of the fear of Covid-19, Eluru, a city in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh with a population of more than 3 lakhs, has been rocked by a “mystery” disease that has affected more than 500 people since the Saturday night. In most cases, the symptoms were the same: seizures, followed by loss of consciousness; and the recovery was quick: they were ready to be discharged in a couple of hours.
State Health Minister AK Krishna Srinivas said that of the 510 affected people, 430 had been discharged. So far one death has been reported. “I appeal to people not to panic. The number of patients has dropped; less than 40 were reported today. I know people are afraid. We are trying to understand what caused it, ”he said.
Health officials suspect food or water contamination. A preliminary report from a team from the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has found traces of lead and nickel in some blood samples.
“The sample size that we sent to AIIMS was small, but their report indicates the presence of heavy metals such as lead and nickel. We have sent more samples and the reports are awaited, ”said Dr. AV Mohan, superintendent of Eluru Government Hospital.
“Seizures indicate neurological problems. The possibility of heavy metal contamination will be investigated, ”said a scientist at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad.
A multidisciplinary team from the NIN made up of public health experts, epidemiologists, microbiologists and food safety experts, led by Dr. JJ Babu Geddam, chief of the division of clinical epidemiology, is collecting water, edible oil and rice samples.
The worrying thing is that the disease is not limited to a particular area. “If it were by water or by air, people in a particular area would be affected. However, almost all of Eluru is affected in this case. In most cases, only one member of the family was affected, which is also disconcerting, ”said the NIN scientist.
“Almost all the affected people are from the urban area of Eluru, about 70% of the city area. Rural Eluru and nearby areas have not been affected. The water samples taken on Sunday were not contaminated, but health officials are returning to these areas to check food and water sources, ”said a health official.
Those who suffered seizures have been left scared and shocked. V Ganesh, 24, a resident of Dakshina Veedhi, said he was now afraid of being alone. “Around 7 in the morning on Sunday, my parents and I were laying off relatives. The next thing I remember is waking up in the government hospital around 11am. My father says I had a seizure and collapsed. But it was fine at 1pm and I came home. I was lucky my parents were around. Now I am afraid of being alone, what happens if it is repeated and there is no one to help, ”he said.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare sent a team to Eluru in the Western Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. (AP Photo)
Shakila Begum, 26, a resident of Ashok Nagar, said five members of her family fell ill in a few hours Monday afternoon. “My seven year old son threw up after lunch. I gave him a bath and sat him in a chair, but he immediately collapsed. He vomited again and was having seizures. I remember calling my husband, but I too fell unconscious after that. I woke up in an ambulance. In the next few hours, three other members of our family fell ill in the same way. We think it has something to do with the water because it happened after drinking water or taking a bath, ”he said. “We are all very scared and worried. I have had body aches ever since. What if it happens again? “She said.
Kiran Kumar, 44, a police officer with the Eluru III City Police Station, was on duty Monday when he had a seizure. “I am fit and healthy and have no addictions. I remember I was on duty and a few hours later I woke up in the government hospital. My classmates told me that I yelled something and collapsed. My right shoulder was injured when I fell on the road. I was in a semi-conscious state for about two hours. I was fine after that and went home. The experience left me shocked, I feel weak now, “he said.
A young man receiving treatment at the Eluru Government Hospital. (Source: ANI)
V Rama Krishna, a school teacher living in the Padamatha colony, said that his neighbors left for his village after a child who lived nearby suffered a seizure.
“Most of the patients had real epileptic seizures. Some people say it is mass hysteria, but it is not. Many of the patients arrived with minor head injuries or a black eye because they suddenly collapsed. But most of them were ready to be discharged within a couple of hours, ”said Dr. AS Ram, Nodal Officer at Eluru Government Hospital. Many patients complained of gastric problems or abdominal pain after the seizures.
Dr. Ram said the number of patients has decreased since Monday night. “On Tuesday there were not many patients. The download rate is also high. In two or three hours, most are ready to go home, ”he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sought an investigation into the presence of lead and nickel particles in some blood samples. “A team from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is also conducting tests and the results are awaited. The Chief Minister has sought an investigation into how lead and nickel particles were present in the affected area and how they entered the bodies of affected individuals, ” said a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Health experts from AIIMS (Delhi), the National Institute of Virology (Pune) and the Center for Disease Control (Delhi) met with state officials on Tuesday and interacted with patients.
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