In late 2020, an unidentified illness struck southern India, impacting hundreds in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. Health authorities deployed expert virologists to probe symptoms including seizures, nausea, and persistent pain.
Eluru, a city of over 200,000 in southeastern India's Andhra Pradesh province, saw at least 550 cases, as detailed in a December 9, 2020, Indian Express report. Patients continue seeking hospital care. The government swiftly assembled a virology team for investigation.
Local physicians describe symptoms as epileptic-like seizures lasting three to five minutes, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, chronic head and back pain, and heightened anxiety.
Around 300 people were hospitalized during the December 6 weekend, 150 more the following day, and dozens on Tuesday. Most were discharged within hours, though hospitals confirmed one fatality.
Virologists tested local staples like rice and cooking oil, plus patient blood and urine samples, yielding limited insights. Notably, blood tests revealed elevated heavy metals such as lead and nickel. Water contamination is suspected but unconfirmed, as cases appeared in nearby areas with separate supplies.
While some speculated mass hysteria, attending doctors confirmed genuine physical symptoms. No definitive diagnosis exists from symptoms alone, and authorities report no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Amid India's severe COVID-19 toll—over 9.7 million cases and 140,000 deaths—this outbreak underscores ongoing public health challenges.
