400 Indians in hospital after mystery illness

Published December 8, 2020
One person died and more than 400 were hospitalised in southern India due to an unidentified infection that caused many to fall unconscious following seizures and nausea. — Reuters/File
One person died and more than 400 were hospitalised in southern India due to an unidentified infection that caused many to fall unconscious following seizures and nausea. — Reuters/File

BHUBANESWAR: One person died and more than 400 were hospitalised in southern India due to an unidentified infection that caused many to fall unconscious following seizures and nausea, a senior health department official said on Monday.

Government and medical authorities in Andhra Prad­esh said more than 200 people were discharged at the weekend and that tests had ruled out Covid-19. Further serological tests are underway.

“The causes of the outbreak are not known yet,” the state government said in a statement, adding that people in all age groups appeared prone to the infection.

India’s federal health ministry said it would send a team of three medical exp­er­ts to investigate the outbreak, which has infected more than 300 children. “The children reportedly suffered from dizziness, fainting spells, headache and vomiting,” the ministry said.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2020

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