While the total tally of victims affected by the mystery illness in Eluru crossed 400, the results of the blood samples collected raised new concerns in the district health authorities. Blood samples of patients suffering from the disease have shown excessive amounts of heavy metals such as lead and nickel.
“Preliminary analysis of various test reports has almost established the role of organochlorine substances in the poisoning. Excess lead is found in the blood samples of the victims. We are sending more samples to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi,” stated the district joint collector.
Multiple experts teams from premium scientific institutes across the country are probing the role of organochlorine substances in the infection in Eluru. The main suspect is the usage of Organochlorine pesticides, chlorinated hydrocarbons widely used in anti-mosquito fogging.
The ministry of health has formed a three-member team to investigate the sudden illness of people in and around Eluru. The team, comprising Dr Jamshed Nayar, Associate Professor (Emergency Medicine), AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr Avinash Deoshtawar, Virologist, NIV, Pune and Dr Sanket Kulkarni, Dy. Director, PH, NCDC, will reach Eluru on Tuesday morning and submit a report by the evening.
