Amaravati: A team of medical and health experts has rushed to Andhra Pradesh's Eluru town on Sunday after 227 people were hospitalised since Saturday night with symptoms resembling epilepsy. Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Krishna Srinivas alias Nani has said that the situation is under control and medical help is being provided to all the needy.
In all, 227 people, including 46 children and 76 women, were hospitalised and around 70 were discharged after their condition was stable. Five people were shifted to government hospital in Vijayawada for better treatment. The patients are also being treated in private hospitals, the Minister said and added there is no danger to their lives and they are stable.
He told reporters after a visit to Government Hospital in Eluru that affected people were brought to hospital with complaints of giddiness and epilepsy.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was monitoring the situation personally and instructed the officials to be alert, he added. Special focus is on the areas which reported cases and medical camps are being setup to provide treatment to the patients. Door to door survey is being conducted to monitor the health condition of the people, he said.
Water samples have been sent for testing to the laboratory and no water pollution has been reported. Blood samples of the patients have been sent to lab and no viral infections are detected. All the patients were tested for Covid-19 and all reports were negative.
The minister said more details will be known after test results come and there is no need to panic.
The affected people complained of sudden collapses, frothing at mouth and shivering. Those who were hospitalised on Saturday night were discharged on Sunday morning after they recovered.
Medical and health experts were trying to ascertain the cause of sickness. Most of the affected people were elderly and children.
Authorities were baffled as the affected people were neither related nor they had attended a common event. According to officials, the cases were reported from different areas in Eluru town of West Godavari district.
The Health Minister said 150 beds in Eluru and 50 beds in Vijayawada were kept ready for any emergency. "The government is taking all necessary steps. There is no need for any panic," he said.
Health authorities have also been asked to ensure availability of emergency medicines to deal with any situation.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has expressed concern over the incident. He enquired with local administration on the condition of those admitted to the hospitals and directed the officials of the Medical and Health Department to take immediate measures and provide necessary medical care and treatment to the affected persons on an expeditious basis.
The governor directed officials of the local administration and Medical and Health Department to find out the reasons behind such a large number of people suddenly falling ill, take the advice of experts on the issue and take immediate steps to resolve the issue and create awareness among people on the precautions to be followed to prevent such incidents from happening again.
(With IANS Inputs)