ICMR team conducts sampling of affected families/patients after 7 deaths in Badhal area.

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD

ICMR’s mobile testing vehicle stationed at Koteranka for sample’s examination.

RAJOURI DEC 17:-After 7 deaths in two families, including 6 minor children, in Badhal area of Koteranka subdivision of Rajouri district, experts from three premier medical institutes from across the country have collected samples of food, water, medicines taken by the deceased and affected families, and other samples for examination.
A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), reportedly headed by Dr Abhijeet Epidemiologist from ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune is camping at Koteranka along with Mobile Van.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
The team has collected more than sixty samples of the patients admitted in GMC Rajouri, GMC Jammu, and SMGS hospital Jammu and the members of affected families for further examination for any kind of virus.
Reportedly the deaths were not caused due to food adulteration, expired food items, food poisoning and water from local water bodies.
On December 8 five members of a family including Fazal Hussain (35), his two daughters Farana (10), Rabia (14) and Rukhsar (12) died in GMC Rajouri while fourth son Raftar (4) died in Jammu hospital after three days. The wife of Fazal , Shamim is still under treatment in GMC Jammu.
On December 12, three minor children of Mohd Rafiq fell sick with symptoms of high fever, vomiting etc. 6 years-old Nazia Akhter died within a few hours of symptoms at home while Ishtiaq (9) and Ishfaq Ahmed (10) were brought to GMC Rajouri for treatment.
After initial treatment at GMC Rajouri, both were referred to SNGS Hospital at Jammu, where Ishtiaq died.
Following 7 deaths in two families, including 2 unusual deaths of brother & sister, teams from GMC Rajouri & Jammu, teams from GMC Jammu & Directorate of Health Services Jammu rushed to Badhal to stop further loss of lives.
To date more than 3200 people have been screened during house-to-house visits. Even the ICMR team has collected samples (preserved) of those who died in the area recently due to other ailments for examination.
Recently Principal of Government Medical College, Jammu, Dr Ashutosh Gupta while briefing the reporters said that teams of experts, including paediatricians, epidemiologists and virologists from National Institute of Virology Pune, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, & PGI Chandigarh are collecting samples of food, water and other things at Badhal and adjoining areas.
A mobile vehicle equipped with lab facilities has also been sent to the area for on-the-spot testing of the collected samples.
“It will take some time to arrive at a conclusion about the exact cause of the deaths” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that experts in the health department are of the opinion that a type of killer Rickettsial fever is common in Rajouri-Poonch districts, especially during peak winter season (known as scrub typhus) and caused by the bite of mite insect.
The symptoms of this fever include high grade fever with chills & rigor, sweating, body ache, skin rash, epigastric pain, acute renal failure, DIC, shock etc.
It’s test is known as Well Felix and can be treated by prescribed drugs but it is fatal in about 70-80 patients.