As Eluru mystery illness claims life & afflicts 290, TDP's Naidu demands probe; CM enroute

The mysterious illness that began spreading in Eluru city in Andhra Pradesh claimed one life on Sunday even as about 292 residents fell sick. Reacting to this, TDP National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep shock over the outbreak. Taking to Twitter, he demanded an impartial, full-fledged inquiry into the incident.

'YSRCP govt has been caught napping'

Attacking the CM Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, he said, "Floods, cyclone or healthcare, the YSRCP Govt has been caught napping in emergency situations."  "Can there be a more unfortunate & bigger failure than this?" he asked, adding that the Eluru incident which he blamed on water contamination calls for a "declaration of Health Emergency in Andhra Pradesh."

The TDP chief said that the pathetic situation was revealed as a mother posted a selfie video on social media making a helpless plea to the state Health Minister to save her child. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy spoke with AP Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney over the phone and enquired about the situation and said the Centre was ready to extend any possible help.

Nothing has yet been established as to what caused the disease that saw people suddenly falling unconscious after suffering from symptoms of fits and nausea. Health authorities could not yet establish the cause of the sudden disease though blood tests and CT (brain) scan were performed. 

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Cerebral Spinal Fluid tests also turned out to be normal. The probable cause could become evident only after the culture test results came in. According to district Joint Collector Himanshu Shukla, E-coli results were also awaited. More than 140 of the patients have returned home after treatment at the hospital while the condition of others was stable, the West Godavari district medical and health officials told PTI. 

Expressing concern over the spread of the mysterious disease, state Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan directed the health authorities to ensure proper medicare to the afflicted persons. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has scheduled a visit to Eluru on Monday to visit the patients in the GGH and later hold a review meeting with the West Godavari district officials.

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