Mystery Illness hits Vegetable sales in Andhra Pradesh

The sale of vegetables is witnessing a fall in Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh due to the outbreak of a recent mysterious illness that left many people hospitalised. "For the past 4 to 5 days, green leafy vegetables aren't being sold and people aren't coming to shop for the vegetables. We are just sitting with them, with none business," a vendor told.  

Following the outbreak of illness, which is yet to be conclusively identified many people are exercising caution. Experts from several reputed organizations have already taken samples of things which the victims have used for cooking for investigation. The samples include vegetables, fish, rice, meat, and soil, among other samples.

Dr AVR Mohan, the Superintendent of West Godavari district hospital, said that people in Eluru district are advised to scrub the vegetables thoroughly before use and the doctors too advised washing vegetables with saltwater is safe. 

As many as 14 expert agencies have asked for longer to properly investigate these samples. 

Symptoms of the mysterious illness include 3 to 5 minutes of epileptic fits without repetition, forgetfulness, anxiety, vomiting, headache & back pain. 

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF) is preparing an in-depth report supported the preliminary information shared by a Central team which is visiting the town. 

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, has engaged with other institutions to review the presence of organochlorine and organophosphates within the blood of the affected people. 

After studying some samples, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) found the presence of lead and nickel only in two of the 40 urine samples, so far, one person has succumbed to the illness. 

An analysis by scientists at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) found traces of mercury in rice and pesticides and herbicide residues in excess quantities in the vegetables. The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) also acknowledged that residues of organophosphorus in blood, but said it's to be studied how they entered the humans.