Page 60 - Veritas

ELURU SUFFERS A

MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS

Ms. Kali Sruthi Evangeline

The number of people admit-
ted to the Government General

Hospital in Eluru with symp-
toms of a mystery illness in-

creased on 5th December 2020,
even as health officials seemed

to be clueless in diagnosing it.
About 270 people, including 46

children, were hospitalised by
the afternoon of 5th December. Around 70 people were discharged from

the hospital after their condition became stable. A 45-year old man from
Vidyanagar and a 30-year old woman from South Street in Eluru report-

edly died. However, the doctors have not yet confirmed the cause of their
death.

The condition of five patients, including a six-year-old girl, who was shifted

to the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada, was stated to be sta-
ble. Consumption of contaminated water was suspected to be the reason

behind the sudden hospitalisations, but officials clarified that they were
awaiting the results of the water samples sent for analysis. COVID-19 tests

were conducted on all the people admitted to the hospital, and they have
tested negative. Blood and CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid) samples were col-

lected and sent for testing. CT scans were also done. Chief Minister YS
Jagan Mohan Reddy visited Eluru on Monday, directing the health officials

to make every effort to ensure the recovery of the people affected by the
illness and find out the reason behind it at the earliest. Eluru Superinten-

dent Mohan Rao said, “All the patients are being given emergency medi-
cal treatment, and 80 per cent of them are stable. They were admitted to

the hospital after convulsions and mild headaches. In several cases, they
fainted after vomiting. Some of them had bone dislocations and muscu-

VERITAS 45