Unidentified disease leaves hundreds hospitalized and one dead in India

AT LEAST ONE person has died and another 200 are in hospital due to an unidentified illness in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India, according to reports.

The disease was detected on Saturday night in Eluru, an ancient city famous for its hand-woven products. Since then, patients have experienced symptoms ranging from nausea and anxiety to loss of consciousness, doctors said.

A 45-year-old man who was in the hospital with epilepsy-like symptoms and nausea died last night, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Officials are trying to determine the cause of the disease. So far, water samples from the affected areas have shown no signs of contamination and patients have tested negative for Covid-19.

Chief Minister of State YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited a government hospital and met patients who were ill. The leader of the opposition, N Chandrababu Naidu, demanded on Twitter a “impartial and full investigation of the incident.”

The state of Andhra Pradesh is among the most affected by Covid-19, with more than 800,000 cases detected. The health system in the state, like the rest of India, has been affected by the virus.

A young patient is wheelchair-bound to the district government hospital in Eluru.

Source: PA