The preliminary analysis of various test reports has almost established the role of organochlorine substances in the poisoning that has left one dead and over 450 affected in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru since Saturday.
Organochlorine pesticides are chlorinated hydrocarbons used in agriculture and mosquito control. The compounds include Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which is widely used in anti-mosquito fogging. "Mostly yes, but we are waiting for the laboratory report (for confirmation)," a top official of the Medical and Health Department told PTI on Monday, when asked about organochlorine being the disease-triggering agent.
A 45-year-old man reportedly died on the evening of December 6 after he was admitted to a government hospital with symptoms of nausea and epilepsy. It is reported that the patients were admitted for complaints of epilepsy and giddiness. The authorities in the local government hospitals in the district said that the situation was under control.
The central government is rushing a three-member team of medical experts to Eluru in Andhra Pradesh after Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday spoke to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan as many children were hospitalised with an undiagnosed illness in the past few days.
The 3-member team of medical experts to Eluru include Dr Jamshed Nayar, Associate Professor (Emergency Medicine) from AIIMS, Dr Avinash Deoshtawar, Virologist, NIV PUNE and Dr Sanket Kulkarni, Deputy Director, PH Expert from NCDC, Delhi, according to a release of Vice President's Secretariat.
According to the release, on seeing reports of more than 300 children becoming ill, the Vice President initially spoke to the district collector for firsthand information. He later spoke to the Director, AIIMS at Mangalagiri and Director, AIIMS Delhi and was informed that blood samples of the children were sent to Delhi.
The poisoning, which first surfaced in the One-Town area in Eluru city, has now spread to the adjoining rural parts of Eluru and Denduluru, though the number of affected there was far lesser. So far, 263 people had been discharged from the hospital after treatment while another 171 have been admitted as in-patients. Another 17 patients were referred to hospitals in Vijayawada and Guntur for better medicare, according to official data.
(With agency inputs)
