Mystery illness in India

nivek

As Above So Below
Mystery illness hospitalizes 200 people in India

In total 380 have fallen ill and officials are trying to determine the cause of the new illness.

At least one person has died and 200 others are in hospital in India due to a mystery illness. The first cases were detected on Saturday evening in the ancient city of Eluru, in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Patients are suffering from symptoms ranging from nausea and anxiety to seizures, convulsions and loss of consciousness, doctors said, but they have tested negative for COVID-19. A 45-year-old man who was in hospital with symptoms similar to epilepsy and nausea died on Sunday evening, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

So far, water samples from affected areas have not shown any signs of contamination, although the sick are thought to have collected their water from the same source.

According to reports, a note released by Andhra Pradesh's health department said initial blood tests did not find any evidence of a viral infection, such as Japanese encephalitis, dengue or chikungunya - diseases which are caused by mosquito bites.

State chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited a government hospital and met patients who were ill on Monday. Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted to demand an "impartial, full-fledged inquiry into the incident".

It comes as India continues to be badly hit by rising coronavirus cases.

According to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the pandemic worldwide, India has recorded more than 9.6 million cases, second only to the US, and more than 140,500 deaths - third to the US and Brazil.

Andhra Pradesh state is among those worst hit by the virus with more than 800,000 detected cases. The health system in the state, like the rest of India, has been frayed by the resulting pressure.

skynews-india-mystery_5198659.jpg
 

Standingstones

Celestial
Mystery illness hospitalizes 200 people in India

In total 380 have fallen ill and officials are trying to determine the cause of the new illness.

At least one person has died and 200 others are in hospital in India due to a mystery illness. The first cases were detected on Saturday evening in the ancient city of Eluru, in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Patients are suffering from symptoms ranging from nausea and anxiety to seizures, convulsions and loss of consciousness, doctors said, but they have tested negative for COVID-19. A 45-year-old man who was in hospital with symptoms similar to epilepsy and nausea died on Sunday evening, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

So far, water samples from affected areas have not shown any signs of contamination, although the sick are thought to have collected their water from the same source.

According to reports, a note released by Andhra Pradesh's health department said initial blood tests did not find any evidence of a viral infection, such as Japanese encephalitis, dengue or chikungunya - diseases which are caused by mosquito bites.

State chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited a government hospital and met patients who were ill on Monday. Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted to demand an "impartial, full-fledged inquiry into the incident".

It comes as India continues to be badly hit by rising coronavirus cases.

According to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the pandemic worldwide, India has recorded more than 9.6 million cases, second only to the US, and more than 140,500 deaths - third to the US and Brazil.

Andhra Pradesh state is among those worst hit by the virus with more than 800,000 detected cases. The health system in the state, like the rest of India, has been frayed by the resulting pressure.

skynews-india-mystery_5198659.jpg
The woman in this photo is bent over in pain. Notice the man on the right has his mask pulled down. Nice look.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Mysterious fever kills 68 people in a week in India

Another 12 children succumbed to the “mystery fever” in Firozabad district in the last 24 hours, health department officials said on Sunday. The “intense” viral fever has swept parts of western Uttar Pradesh claiming 68 lives, including 40 children, over the past week. Most of them reported high fever, dehydration and a sudden drop in platelet count. Others had dengue symptoms and passed away during treatment.

Now, with recovery time stretching to over 10 days, government hospitals are scrounging for beds and blood banks are stretched. A high number of cases have been reported from Agra, Mathura, Mainpuri, Etah and Kasganj districts, with Firozabad district said to be the worst affected. Health officials told TOI that a few viral fever cases have been reported from eastern UP as well.

Situation is dire at the Firozabad medical college where 72 children out of 135 are battling for life. Over 50% of them have dengue symptoms, officials added. Vinod Kumar, an inconsolable father and resident of Firozabad’s Sekhpur village, said, “My four-year-old daughter was suffering high viral fever for four days. We had admitted her to a private hospital as no vacant bed was available elsewhere. After low platelets and high fever, she died on Saturday.”

With rural areas badly hit, some of these patients are being shifted to Agra and other cities. Teams from the health department are reaching out to villagers with medicines as well. But, there is no record of those dying in private hospitals and at home in rural areas.

“The situation in the districts is alarming,” Firozabad MLA Manish Asija said, adding that “waterlogging, lack of sanitation and hygiene are the reasons behind the disease spread.” Chief medical officer of Firozabad district, Dr Neeta Kulshrestha said, “Twelve children have died of the viral fever in the last 24 hours. The exact cause is being studied.”

The CMO added that all the patients at the government hospitals are tested for Corona and so far none of the viral infection cases can be linked. While the chief medical superintendent (CMS) of Firozabad medical college, Dr Hansraj Singh, said that they are increasing the number of beds.

“Viral fever patients are being admitted in Covid-19 wards. Doctors and paramedics are on alert,” the CMS added. “The intensity of the fever is worrying. Children are taking two weeks to recover.”

On Sunday, additional director of health department, AK Singh, said, “With high humidity, the temperature in Agra region is staying above normal, which is ideal for the spread of such vector-borne diseases. However, the cases of deaths are being investigated. In certain cases, patients had co-morbidities.” [Economic Times]

 
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