Mysterious illness in J&K: In Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri district as many as 16 people have died within nearly 45 days due to a mysterious illness. As the death toll continues to rise, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convenes a meeting and directs the officials to expedite the probe and identify the causes of deaths.
“The unexplained nature of these deaths is deeply concerning. The government is fully committed to uncovering the root cause and ensuring the safety of our people. All departments must collaborate and leave no stone unturned to resolve this issue,” Abdullah said in the meeting as quoted by News18.com.
He also said that his government is committed to resolving the crisis and “ensuring justice for the bereaved families”.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo were among those who attended the meeting.
How it started?
On December 7 2024, a family of seven people fell ill following a community meal, leading to five deaths. On December 12, a family of nine was affected, causing three fatalities.
On January 12 in which a family of 10 people fell ill after another community meal. Six children were hospitalised in the incident. On Wednesday, 10-year-old Zabeena Kouser died at Jammu’s SMGS Hospital. Her 15-year-old sister Yasmeen Kouser was reportedly critical, the officials said as quoted by News18.com.
The government has said that it has taken multiple steps to ascertain the root cause of the illness.
Investigation underway
Following the deaths, health department teams have conducted door-to-door surveys of over 3,000 residents in the affected area and collected and tested samples of water, food, and other materials.
According to a report by News18.com, even advanced testing conducted by leading national institutes, such as ICMR, the National Institute of Virology, the National Centre for Disease Control, CSIR, DRDO, and PGIMER-Chandigarh, was unable to identify a definitive cause of the deaths.
Meanwhile, police maintained that the deaths were confined to three families living within 1.5 km distance from each other. Further investigation is underway to establish any links or causes behind the deaths.
Reportedly, officials are active in the area for over 40 days since the first death occurred, and provided ambulances and essential services to manage emergencies. It is noteworthy that autopsy reports of some deaths have revealed the presence of neurotoxins.
A neurotoxin is a substance that disrupts the normal function of the nervous system by damaging or impairing nerve cells (neurons). Neurotoxins can affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, leading to a variety of symptoms depending on the toxin and its severity. These substances can be produced by natural organisms, such as bacteria, plants, or animals, or can be synthetic chemicals.