Over 200 hospitalised as mystery disease strikes parts of Eluru in Andhra Pradesh

ELURU: Health and medical experts in West Godavari district were on tenterhooks as a group of people from different parts of Eluru town were hospitalised with symptoms resembling epilepsy. Over 200 people have been hospitalised. What has baffled doctors attending them is that the patients are not related and belong to different areas of Eluru. They did not even participate or attend a common event.

A medical expert team visited Eluru and inspected the cases to diagnose the problem. Officials do not rule out a mysterious disease.

Blood samples have been collected for analysis to pinpoint the cause of seizures, which are accompanied by frothing and temporary loss of consciousness. The patients are of different age groups. A six-year-old girl was shifted to Vijayawada after her condition worsened. An emergency medicare centre has been set up in Vijayawada as a precautionary measure.


All the patients have been admitted to Eluru government hospital. They belong to Kothapeta, Padamara Veedhi and Vangaya Gudem areas of the town. Health minister Alla Nani also visited the hospital and interacted with the patients.

He also directed the district medical and health officer to conduct a door-to-door survey of the affected areas and keep emergency medicines available. Special medical camps will be set up in the town, he said, adding that health teams will inspect the area and check whether contaminated food or water was consumed by the affected people.

District medical and health officer K Sunanda said all patients presented with symptoms like falling down suddenly, frothing, and shivering. Stating that the affected people recover all of sudden and again present themselves with the symptoms, she said there is no threat to any of them.