Unidentified infection sees over 400 hospitalised, 1 dead in India
- India is suffering at the hands of an unidentified infection that has prompted the hospitalisation of over 400 citizens
- Thus far, only one fatality has been recorded but the mysterious nature of the sickness is a major cause for concern
- The illness was first detected over the weekend in Eluru, an ancient city in the Andhra Pradesh state
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One person has died and over 400 others hospitalised in southern India following an unidentified infection.
The infection causes victims to fall unconscious after seizures and nausea, according to a senior health department official.
The first known case was reported on Saturday in Eluru, an ancient city in a state renowned for its hand-woven products, Andhra Pradesh.
Source: UGC
Doctors confirmed numerous other patients experienced symptoms ranging from nausea and anxiety to loss of consciousness.
Local medical authorities say more than 200 people were discharged over the weekend with tests ruling out COVID-19 as a possibility.
Outbreak under investigation
Further tests were underway with India's federal Health Ministry issuing a statement confirming a team of medical experts would be sent to investigate the outbreak.
In the statement, it was highlighted over 300 children had been infected with the unknown illness:
"The children reportedly suffered from dizziness, fainting spells, headache and vomiting."
A door-to-door survey was also being conducted in a bid to determine what had caused the crisis which claimed the life of a 45-year-old man.
The man had been hospitalised with symptoms similar to epilepsy and nausea.
So far, water samples from affected areas have been tested but have not shown any signs of contamination, with the minister's office saying that people not linked to municipal water sources had also fallen ill.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old woman, became the first person to be given a COVID-19 jab as part of the mass vaccination programme being rolled out across the UK.
It was gathered that Keenan, who will be 91 next week, said the vaccine was the best early birthday present for her.
She was given the injection at 06:31 GMT - the first of 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that would be given in the coming weeks.
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Source: Legit.ng