A mysterious illness in Badhal village, located in the Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, has claimed 12 lives since December 7 of the previous year. The latest fatalities, including an 8-year-old boy and a 62-year-old man, occurred on Monday. This follows the deaths of two minors on Sunday, and further deaths in the past weeks have raised alarm among health officials. The victims, including six siblings from the village, exhibited symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and episodic loss of consciousness before succumbing to the illness.
The ongoing investigation has baffled health experts. Initially thought to be food poisoning, the illness has been ruled out as a viral infection, and health experts from the National Institute of Virology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), PGI Chandigarh, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have been involved in examining samples from the village since December. While results are still awaited, it has been confirmed that the deaths are not caused by any communicable disease or viral infection.
The fatalities have raised suspicion of toxicity, as all the deaths have occurred within three interrelated families. Despite extensive testing, including checks for influenza and H1N1, no viral cause has been identified. Officials have speculated that toxicity may be to blame, but the exact cause remains unclear. Additional tests, including toxicology reports, are being conducted, with the Jammu and Kashmir Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs involved in analyzing samples.
The health department is implementing preventive measures while awaiting the results. Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo emphasized that the deaths are not related to an outbreak of infectious diseases and that investigations are ongoing to pinpoint the precise cause. Though investigations continue, the situation remains alarming, and officials stress that conclusive findings are necessary to understand the cause of these tragic deaths.
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