Andhra Pradesh 'mystery illness' cases rise to 609; two deaths in Vijaywada not linked to disease, says official

Amaravati: Only 13 new cases of the ‘ mysterious disease ’ surfaced in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru city since Wednesday midnight, showing clear signs of abating, even as the total touched 609 on Thursday. Deputy Chief Minister (Health) AKK Srinivas, who interacted with the victims in the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada, said 32 people were being treated in the District Headquarters Hospital in Eluru and another 21 in Vijayawada. So far, 553 patients had fully recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Though two patients died in the GGH, Vijayawada, on Thursday, the mysterious disease was ruled out as the cause. “One woman was diagnosed with COVID-19 while another male died of heart attack,” the deputy chief minister said. “We have found out that some of the patients, who were brought to Vijayawada from Eluru, were suffering from other ailments. Appropriate treatment is being provided to them,” Srinivas added. He said the various Central institutions were expected to submit on Friday their reports on the causative factors of the mysterious disease. Based on the reports, necessary steps would be taken to ensure such disease outbreak did not recur. The deputy chief minister asserted that (contaminated) water was not the cause of the disease outbreak. “Preliminary reports established that water contamination is not the cause but we are getting an in-depth analysis done.Eluru citizens need not panic and consume the drinking water supplied there. Extensive chlorination is also being done in all the overhead reservoirs to ensure water safety,” Srinivas said.