The Uddanam region that lies in north-coastal Andhra consists of the mandals of Kaviti, Sompeta, Kanchili, Itchapuram, Palasa and Vajrapukotturu, accounting for more than 100 villages in total. As of 2015, It was estimated that more than 4500 people had died in the last ten years, and around 34,000 people were suffering from kidney diseases in this area alone. Mainly uddanam people are effected with chronic kidney failure. It was reported that each family in the area had at least one person suffering from a kidney ailment. The cases had first mysteriously surfaced in the early 90s.Symptoms included hypertension and diabetes, followed by a long asymptomatic period, and later diagnosed with excess proteins in the urine, decreased red blood cell count and high levels of uric acid in the blood.