The milk adulteration horror in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajamundry continues to grip the state, with seven patients in critical care and four deaths confirmed. Commissioner Veerapandian updated on Tuesday: 15 under treatment, featuring high-risk cases like a five-month-old baby among two children.
Critical interventions include ventilators for three, dialysis for two, and combo therapy for three more. Specialized nephrology drugs from Chennai and Mumbai are en route, per expert Raviraj, to accelerate renal recovery.
The February 16 batch’s contamination stems from ethylene glycol leaking into milk via a faulty cooling machine, per police findings. No urea detected, but long-term risks noted; ethylene glycol strikes fast and hard.
Extensive testing covered 315 people in 110 households: three positives admitted, conditions steady. Vigilance teams patrol hotspots 24/7 for a month, alert for late-onset symptoms.
Dairy remnants—butter, vinegar, curd—and water samples are lab-bound for definitive proof. The supplier’s under arrest, with technicians questioned on equipment handling.
From Wednesday, Andhra launches a blanket inspection of milk operations statewide, sampling rigorously and license-checking. This outbreak exposes glaring gaps in dairy hygiene, urging immediate regulatory overhauls to avert more heartbreak.