Overview
- An ailing six-year-old died in Visakhapatnam, taking the toll to five, while 15 patients remain hospitalised with seven in critical condition and several on ventilator and dialysis support.
- All victims consumed milk supplied by a single local vendor operating as Varalakshmi Dairy, which has been sealed as police arrested Addala Ganeswara Rao and produced him in court.
- Health officials report no urea detected in preliminary checks and cite ethylene glycol as the leading suspicion based on police findings, with confirmatory reports expected between Wednesday and Saturday.
- Authorities dispatched dozens of milk, blood, water and fodder samples to accredited labs in Hyderabad, Kakinada, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam to pinpoint the contaminant source.
- The state announced ₹10 lakh ex-gratia to each bereaved family, pledged to cover all treatment costs, launched door-to-door medical surveillance and set statewide inspections of milk units from February 25.