Overview

• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered mass testing, special medical camps this weekend, hospital admission for the ill, and protected drinking water for residents.
• Blood and environmental samples were sent for analysis, with blood culture reports expected as early as Saturday according to the Guntur DMHO.
• Some local health officials flagged melioidosis as a possibility, but the health minister said tests have not confirmed it and broader chemical and biological analyses are underway.
• A high-level committee led by Director of Secondary Health Dr. A. Siri will identify officials who failed to flag the spike in deaths and submit recommendations within a week.
• Authorities report roughly 20–23 deaths over two months with a mean age of about 55, while opposition leaders allege more than 40 deaths and blame contaminated drinking water.