Mystery illness: NIN Hyderabad team collects samples from Eluru

West Godavari (Andhra Pradesh) December 8 (ANI): A nine-member team of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad on Tuesday collected samples of water, milk, rice, vegetables along with the blood and urine sample of patients after a massive number of people fell sick due to unknown disease in Eluru town of Andhra Pradesh.
"They have collected blood and urine samples of patients from hospitals. Later they went to places in town where the cases have been developed. The team collected samples of water, milk, rice and vegetables," said NIN scientist and team leader JJ Babu.
"The team will leave for Hyderabad tonight and will analyse the samples at NIN Hyderabad tomorrow. Preliminary reports may come by Friday or Saturday, final analysis reports will take a max of 10 days time. If needed, the samples will be sent to Ahmadabad also," said JJ Babu.
"Heavy metals or organochlorine is suspected to be a reason but this cannot be confirmed immediately," said the NIN scientists Dr Sinha.
"The number of cases that are reported are gradually coming down. In the morning it was 123 now it is 77. The remaining cases on the bed at this point of time are 77 and we feel another 20 cases may be discharged by morning. So gradually the panic in the public is coming down. The incidents of cases are also coming down. And the severity of symptoms are also coming down," Dr. Mohan told media on Tuesday.
A report released by the West Godavari district collector on Monday said one person has died due to the unknown disease. Besides, a household health survey has been conducted in 57,863 houses to shed light on the matter, said the report. (ANI)