VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Thursday constituted a multidisciplinary committee with 21 members, headed by the Chief Secretary, to investigate the cause of mystery illness in Eluru and suggest remedial measures to prevent occurrence of such incidents in the future. Meanwhile, the unknown illness cases have decreased significantly. By Thursday evening, 611 cases of mystery illness were reported. Of the total, 556 patients were discharged from hospitals.
Except for the death of a 45-year-old man on Sunday, there has been no increase in the number of fatalities. Speaking to TNIE, Eluru Government General Hospital Superintendent AVR Mohan said, “At present, only 31 patients with symptoms of unknown illness are undergoing treatment. Only 13 new cases with symptoms of nausea and convulsions were admitted to the GGH from Wednesday midnight to Thursday evening.
The total number of inpatients, including those undergoing treatment in Vijayawada GGH, is 54 now.” Deputy Chief Minister (Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani) said they laid emphasis on providing the best medical treatment to those who fell ill, besides monitoring the health of the discharged patients
Medical camps continue in Eluru, CS visits GGH
Full-fledged reports of tests from various Central research institutions pertaining to the actual cause of the unknown illness, are expected by Friday evening.
Health Minister Alla Nani visited the patients undergoing treatment at the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada on Thursday morning. “Once the reports of samples are submitted by the Central research institutes, we can come to a conclusion about the actual cause of the mystery illness,” he said. The Health Minister clarified that the death of two persons at the GGH in Vijayawada as reported in a section of media was not due to the unknown disease.
“Though the two persons hailed from Eluru, they were shifted to Vijayawada for different medical reasons. One person died due to Covid-19 and another succumbed to chronic lung infection,” he clarified. Reiterating that there was no presence of e coli in the water samples collected in Eluru, Nani said more samples were sent for advanced testing as the presence of pesticide residue was detected in them.
Recent heavy rains and floods in West Godavari are suspected to be the reason for the presence of pesticide residue in water. As a precautionary measure, 67 medical camps in the areas from where a large number of illness cases were reported, are being continued.
About 30 emergency (108) vehicles are kept on standby, he said. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney visited Eluru government hospital and interacted with the patients undergoing treatment. Later, she held a meeting with the district administration and hospital authorities to review the situation. Principal Secretary (Health) AK Singhal, District Collector R Mutyalarju and other officials were present.