Suddenly a wave of mysterious disease hit Andhra Pradesh where people were falling unconscious, after tons of blood tests in few patients blood lead and nickel were reported
A wave of mysterious disease hit Andhra Pradesh where people were falling unconscious, after tons of blood tests in few patients blood lead and nickel were reported.
Lead and nickel content was found in the blood samples of some of the patients suffering from a mysterious illness in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, officials said on Tuesday. The illness has so far taken one life and left more than 500 people sick.
The initial discovery of a team of specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other state and central institutions, presented to Prime Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday, highlighted the presence of lead and nickel substances in the blood. However, no explanation was given for how the matter of the particles ended in the bloodstream. In addition, as the government has sent only a few samples for testing to AIIMS, more samples were sent out on Tuesday, and a conclusion will be reached after those samples have been tested.
Samples of milk and drinking water in the region have also tested for the presence of particles.The disease has seen people suddenly faint after suffering from epilepsy and insulated since Saturday night. Other symptoms include forgetfulness, back pain and headaches. The epileptic seizure lasts 3-5 minutes, but never again, doctors have informed.
Apart from that, AIIMS, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is also conducting a similar investigation. The facility is yet to complete its findings and find the exact cause of the illness.Following the AIIMS report, which indicated that the participants had lead and nickel presence, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine how lead and nickel particles could enter the body of Eluru residents.
According to a recent health report released at 4pm, 561 people are affected by the disease of which 81 of them are active patients. On Tuesday alone, 73 people were hospitalized. Authorities say that out of 561 patients, 450 were discharged.
To address this problem, apart from medical experts deployed by the World Health Organization, a four-member team of the National Institute of Nutrition, a joint team from the National Institute of Virology - Pune, the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and AIIMS New Delhi went there to come to a proper conclusion on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister (Health) K K Srinivas said the affected people were recovering and there was no need to panic.
“The full details of the cause of this mysterious disease will only be known once the clients have submitted their reports. Basically, the finder was found to be the cause of the outbreak,”the minister informed.A special sanitation campaign was conducted in the town of Eluru and in the rural pockets of Denduluru where cases were reported.
Shrinivas, representing Eluru, toured the facilities on Tuesday, inspected the drinking water storage facilities and directed the sanitation campaign in this regard.
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