Andhra Pradesh CM to visit town struck by mysterious illness

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will leave for Eluru on Monday, where a mystery disease has left over 200 people hospitalised.

He will visit the hospital where the people, who suddenly fell ill, are undergoing treatment.

He will hold a meeting with the officials on the reasons and circumstances for the incident.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, he will leave his camp office at 9.30 a.m. and reach Eluru Government hospital at 10.30 a.m. where he will interact and console the people undergoing treatment, and then hold a conference with officials at the Zilla Parishad Office.

Immediately after coming to know about the incident, the Chief Minister spoke to Health Minister Alla Nani on Sunday morning and instructed him to take immediate steps. He told him not to spare any effort and personally meet the affected people and ensure that proper medical facilities are being provided.

On the instructions of the Chief Minister, the Health Minister visited the hospital, talked to the patients and also the medical officials. The officials of the Medical and Health Department have also visited the hospital and consoled them. They are carrying out tests to find out the reason behind the sudden illness among the people of the area.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Sunday visited Eluru and called on the patients.

Lokesh visited the Government General Hospital where most of the victims were receiving the treatment. He blamed the government's negligence for the outbreak of the disease in different localities in the West Godavari district headquarters town.

The former Minister also visited the areas in Eluru where the disease spread. Though initial reports attributed the illness to supply of contaminated drinking water, the health officials were still unable to diagnose which disease was afflicting the people there.

Lokesh enquired from the local people their problems and assured that the TDP would stand by them in their hour of need. It was unfortunate that there were no proper basic amenities which led to the outbreak of the disease in the constituency of the Health Minister himself, he said.

Stating that more cases were still being reported, he demanded the government declare a health emergency in Eluru town and initiate all the necessary steps to mitigate the illness.