ONGOLE: Four of a family, including a three-year-old girl child, were taken ill after they consumed a juice made of toxic seeds of datura (Ummetta plant in local parlance), believing that it will protect them from COVID-19, at Pallamalli in Cheemakurthy mandal on Saturday.
According to information, Kantlam Suseela alias Suseelamma (52), a Class IV employee who reportedly watched a video on TikTok which suggested that datura seeds could act as a deterrent to the virus, especially for the elderly and children, allegedly encouraged her son K Tirupathi (27), his wife K Santhamma (23) and their three-year-old daughter to follow the tip. She collected the seeds, crushed them and prepared a juice.
All the family members consumed the juice before breakfast on Saturday. Immediately they developed vomiting and giddiness.
Their neighbours took them to an RMP. Later, they were referred to a private nursing home in Chimakurthy. “The seeds are toxic and will affect the nervous and metabolic systems. Now, their health condition is stable,” said medical officer Dr Venkateswara Rao.