JAMMU, Feb 7: Officials have reported that thirty-eight individuals hospitalized due to an unknown illness in Badhaal village, Rajouri district, have been discharged after recovering.
Currently, 363 people from 60 families are quarantined in various facilities across Rajouri, as detailed in a meeting led by Chief Secretary Atal Dullo on Thursday, attended by health professionals and police personnel.
The mysterious illness has resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals from three families in Badhaal between December 7 and January 19.
During the meeting, Health Secretary Syed Abid Rashid Shah indicated that comprehensive measures have been implemented to isolate affected families and supply them with food and water following testing.
“Out of the 55 symptomatic individuals, 38 have recovered and been discharged, while 17 fatalities have been confirmed,” Shah stated.
Currently, there are no new hospital admissions, and existing patients have been assessed by medical teams from PGIMER, Chandigarh, and AIIMS, New Delhi, he confirmed.
Healthcare teams remain on-site in the village to monitor residents for any emerging symptoms, with all individuals screened by medical staff, Shah noted.
Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Ramesh Kumar reported that no food or consumables are being exchanged among the quarantined families, who are under constant surveillance.
“At this time, 363 individuals from 60 families are quarantined, and officials from the animal and sheep husbandry department are caring for 592 animals to ensure their well-being,” he added.
Evaluating the efforts to protect lives and investigate the cause of the illnesses, Dulloo stressed the importance of ongoing vigilance and ordered testing of locally used fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides to uncover the source.
He also highlighted the necessity of improving local hospital resources to better handle similar incidents in the future, calling for more ICU beds, oxygen plants, isolation wards, and access to essential medications and specialists.
The Chief Secretary urged AIIMS Delhi to assist local medical staff in building their capacity and suggested sending doctors for specialized training and recruiting experts to aid in enhancing hospital capabilities in the Union Territory.
Simultaneously, Dulloo instructed law enforcement to expedite investigations based on test results that have been received and those still pending from various organizations.
Officials stated that to protect the remaining households in Badhaal, the village has been divided into 14 clusters, each monitored by multi-department teams.
All shops and establishments in the village remain closed, while the distribution of rations is being closely supervised, they reported. (Agencies)
