A child has been shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri after displaying symptoms of a mysterious illness, bringing the total number of cases to 22, of which 17 have already died, and one more child is in critical condition in Jammu.
Among the victims, 13 are children. Health experts remain concerned, as nearly 300 individuals who had close contact with affected families have been quarantined in Rajouri district. Badhaal village has been declared a containment zone.
Protesters from the village have demanded that the ill children be transferred from local hospitals to PGIMER in Chandigarh.
Dr Ashutosh Gupta, Principal of GMC Jammu, assured that the patients are receiving the best possible care. "All patients shifted from Badhaal village are being given the best possible medical support," he said.
However, logistical challenges have led to the patients being treated at GMC Jammu, and one child is still on ventilator support.
Investigations are ongoing, with top health experts and centrally designated inter-ministerial teams working to determine the exact causes of the deaths in Rajouri. Preliminary investigations suggest that brain involvement and nervous system damage are common among those who have died.
Over 230 samples have been sent for analysis, and the Jammu and Kashmir police’s special investigation team is exploring the possibility of a criminal angle, as "neurotoxins" were detected in the samples.
Local MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary has appealed for a medical emergency to control the situation and prevent further spread of the disease.
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