Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 14: A six-year-old girl has succumbed to a mysterious disease in Badhaal village, located in the Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri district, bringing the death toll to 14 since December 2024. The latest victim passed away in a local hospital while receiving treatment.
The outbreak has sparked widespread panic among residents as the disease continues to claim lives, including many children, in the village.
Residents of Badhaal are increasingly worried by the fatalities, especially since the victims do not belong to any single family. This has left every household concerned about the health of its members.
Symptoms exhibited by the victims include high fever, excessive sweating, vomiting and episodes of loss of consciousness. Despite extensive medical management, the precise cause of the illness remains unidentified. This has prompted doctors to treat cases symptomatically while waiting for definitive findings.
The Minister of Health Sakina Itoo discussed the situation, saying, “In December, there were several mysterious deaths recorded in the district, which were later controlled. We are currently investigating the cause of these deaths.”
She said that on January 9, seven children were affected and subsequently transferred to hospitals in Jammu and Rajouri, with some tragically passing away.
“The samples collected have all returned negative so far. We need further tests to clarify the cause of the deaths. I have directed the Health and Medical Secretary to visit the district, and I am in regular contact with local health and police officials,” the minister added.
Specialist teams from national institutions such as the National Institute of Virology (Pune), PGI Chandigarh, NCDC, and AIIMS Delhi have been dispatched to the affected village. These teams are conducting field studies and collecting samples for laboratory analysis.
High-ranking officials and medical professionals from leading hospitals in Jammu have also visited Badhaal to assist in the investigation.
The tragic sequence of events began on December 8 when Mohammad Fazal and his four children lost their lives, followed by the deaths of three children from another family, led by Mohammad Rafiq. Rafiq’s pregnant wife also died on December 23, a case linked to medical negligence.
Two siblings succumbed to the illness on January 12, with another sibling passing away on January 13. On Monday evening, 62-year-old Mohammad Yusuf, a relative of the affected family, died at GMC Rajouri, and on Tuesday, a six-year-old girl succumbed.
Dr Rakesh Magotra, Director of Health Services Jammu, informed that toxicology is likely behind these deaths, although no viral or infectious link has been established so far. He said experts from the national institutions have verbally noted the presence of toxins, and further investigations are ongoing.
