On December 8, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences said that water contaminated by a virus or pesticide might have triggered the “mystery” disease in Eluru town in Andhra Pradesh. A leading private lab in Vijayawada found high levels of pesticides, including DDT, in the drinking water. A separate report by AIIMS Mangalagiri showed high levels of lead & nickel in the blood samples collected from patients. A team comprising experts from AIIMS Delhi, National Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, is zeroing in on the causative agent, a pesticide or virus, or a combination of both, that led to the hospitalisation of about 500 people in the last three days. The mysterious sicknesses began on December 6 when a number of people were hospitalised with symptoms that resembled those of epilepsy. Watch the video to know more.

#AndhraPradesh #MysteryIllness #Eluru