In wake of the ‘mysterious’ illness that swept the town of Eluru last week, civic bodies and district administrations across the state have shifted focus towards their respective water reserves. With the exact cause of the disease not yet ascertained, concerns have been raised on the quality of drinking water supplied to households. In Vizag too, the GVMC officials, on Monday, organised a drive to clean and purify water tanks and reservoirs in the city as a precautionary measure. Water tanks at Kommadi, 80 feet road, and Siddeswaram were among the reserves that were cleaned by GVMC personnel yesterday.
GVMC cleaning water tanks and reservoirs in Vizag:
In view of the #Eluru incident, GVMC officials organized cleaning of the water tanks and reservoirs in the city as a precautionary measure. pic.twitter.com/CcQ87TWdfj
— Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) (@GVMC_OFFICIAL) December 14, 2020
The’ mysterious’ disease in Eluru made over 600 people fall sick while a 45-year-old individual succumbed to the illness. The illness first came to light on 5 December when scores of people across the town reported common symptoms including seizures, headache, nausea, and epilepsy. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy too consoled the patients at the hospital and assured them of complete support from the state government. He even directed the officials to submit a detailed report on the illness, tests conducted, and the treatment being offered along with the reports of tests conducted on milk and water. The state government has even formed a 21 member panel to probe further into the untoward incidence.
While initial speculations pointed to possible water contamination, reports later revealed that the blood samples of the affected contained traces of lead and nickel. However, metal poisoning has not yet conclusively been identified as the main cause of the illness. The ‘outbreak’ is being looked at from different angles with the authorities also probing the possibility of organochlorines and organophosphorus causing it.
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