Traces of nickel and lead found in the blood samples of patients were primarily established to be the root cause of the undiagnosed disease...
Traces of nickel and lead found in the blood samples of patients were primarily established to be the root cause of the undiagnosed disease in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, a release from the Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s office said on Tuesday, reported PTI. The source of these particles, however, remained unknown.
The disease has so far claimed one life and left over 500 people sick. It saw people suddenly falling unconscious after suffering from fits and nausea since the night of December 5. The symptoms included a bout of epilepsy, memory loss for a few minutes, anxiety, vomiting, headache and back pain.
A team of experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who conducted a preliminary examination of blood samples, made out that lead and nickel particulate matter could be the root cause of the mysterious disease. The preliminary findings were presented to Reddy on Tuesday.
“We have tentatively identified the primary cause of this strange phenomenon, but it is not yet clear what its source is and how and why it has happened,” state Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar told Hindustan Times. “For instance, the chemicals were found in the bodies of the patients but not in either water or any other food substance.”
Reddy told the authorities...
