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A mystery illness in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district has claimed the lives of nine people as experts try to ascertain the cause behind the fatalities. Last week, the death toll stood at eight but on Monday another person died of an unknown disease taking the number of deaths to 9.
Children among dead
The recent victim has been identified as Rajeem Akhtar. According to a report by Indian Express, Akhtar had already lost her children to the disease. A week before her death, she had taken her 3 children to the Government Medical College in Rajouri.
After their demise, Akhtar returned home on December 19 and had shown no symptoms of the disease. However, things took a turn for the worse and she died on Monday after her health deteriorated.
Other victims of the mystery disease include twelve-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed and his younger siblings, seven-year-old Ishtiyaq and five-year-old Nazia. The deaths occurred in two families, seven from one and two from the other.
Experts run tests
A Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory has been dispatched to Rajouri to expedite testing and identify the illness, health officials have said.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, visited Kotranka on Monday to assess the ground situation in Badhaal village, where seven people, including six children under the age of 14, have died due to the unidentified illness.
“In response to the incident, a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory has been sent to Rajouri. Additionally, a central team of experts has been constituted to assist the Union Territory administration in investigating the cases and fatalities,” an official spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir’s Health Minister Sakina Itoo and Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana have visited the Rajouri district to take stock of the situation.
With inputs from PTI