Even as the report of the team of experts is yet to be made public, one more girl died due to a mysterious disease in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Rajouri.
Reports said that a five-year-old girl died and her five other siblings were admitted to a hospital after they fell seriously ill in Badhaal village of the Rajouri district.
The ill-fated family belonged to the Badhaal village of Kotranka sub-division of the Rajouri district where nine members of two different families had lost their lives due to a mysterious disease last month.
Reports said that six children of Mohammad Aslam were brought to the Community Health Centre Kandi for a medical check-up on Saturday evening.
After the medical check, the children were initially referred to the Government Medical College Rajouri.
As the condition of some of them started deteriorating, four of them were later referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu for advanced treatment where the girl breathed her last early Sunday.
Reports said two of the siblings are under treatment in the isolation ward of GMC Rajouri, while three others have been admitted to GMC Hospital Jammu.
Senior officer rush to Badhaal village
DIG Rajouri-Poonch, Tejinder Singh, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, and Senior Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Sikarwar, visited Badhaal today to assess the prevailing ground situation and ensure immediate support to the community.
As part of the relief measures, the DC Rajouri deployed ambulances, health teams and ASHA workers to provide essential medical assistance to the residents. Furthermore, other departments have been activated to ensure seamless coordination and cooperation with the general public.
Samples have been collected from ill patients and investigations have been initiated to determine the cause of the ailments. The administration is closely monitoring the situation and will take necessary action based on the outcome of the investigations. The general public is advised not to panic and to follow any advisories issued by the authorities.
During the visit, the Deputy Commissioner interacted with the locals to understand their immediate concerns and emphasized the importance of timely intervention and joint departmental efforts to address their needs. SSP Gaurav Sikarwar assured the residents of enhanced security measures and prompt action on any emergent issues.
The district administration remains committed to ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of the residents of Badhaal. All necessary steps are being taken to address their concerns and provide comprehensive support.
Health experts yet to ascertain real cause of deaths
Health authorities are grappling with a mysterious illness that has claimed the lives of nine people, including eight children, in this village.
Although the team of experts visited this village and collected samples of nearly 500 villagers, authorities have yet to determine the cause of death in this village.
Specialists from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh; and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi, have visited Badhaal and its neighboring areas to collect samples.
Experts also visited Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri and Kotranka Hospital, where some of the victims were admitted.
To expedite testing and diagnosis, a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory has been dispatched to Rajouri. The Union Territory administration has also constituted a central team of experts to assist in the investigation.
Nine mysterious deaths reported in Rajouri village
In month of December, as many as eight mysterious deaths were reported from Kotranka tehsil of the Rajouri district.
A seven-year-old girl died and her two elder brothers fell sick due to a suspected case of food poisoning in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on December 8.
The officials said three siblings were brought to Kotranka civil hospital from Badhal village of Khawas, where the seven-year-old Nazia Kousar breathed her last, while her elder brothers, Ishtiaq (9) and Ashfaq (11), were referred to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital for specialized treatment. However, Ishtiaq also died during treatment at the GMC hospital.
Ruksar (12), who along with her mother Shamim Akhter was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jammu also died after three days.
Ruksar's father, Fazal Hussain, and three siblings – Rabia Kouser (15), Farmana Kouser (12), and Rafter Ahmad (four)—had died on December 8, 2024.
Eleven-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed, son of Mohammad Rafiq, passed away after being hospitalized at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu for six days.
