SRINAGAR: The death toll has risen to 16 as one more woman succumbed to a mysterious illness in Budhal village, Rajouri district. Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo on Friday confirmed that the deaths are not caused by any virus or influenza.
She said, “The initial five deaths were alarming, raising suspicions of a possible virus or influenza being the cause. We feared it might be a virus like Covid-19, but all tests have come back negative.”
She added that the Health Department had been closely monitoring the situation from the outset. “Samples were collected from the affected area and sent for testing to five laboratories, including Lucknow, Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh, and GMC Jammu. All results were negative,” Itoo said. “Extensive surveys were conducted by the Health Department, and samples from ill individuals were analysed, but no virus or influenza was detected. Tests conducted across multiple laboratories confirmed this.”
The Minister also clarified that the Home Department is now investigating the cause of the mysterious deaths. “There is no health-related issue as all findings have ruled out such concerns,” she said. “The probe is ongoing, and there is no need for panic. This is not a public health issue.”
Meanwhile, officials reported that a 60-year-old woman, Jatti Begum, wife of Mohammad Yousuf of Budhal village, passed away at GMC Rajouri today. Her death brings the total fatalities to 16, including 12 children, over the past 45 days.
According to officials, the woman had been admitted to GMC Rajouri on Thursday. Her husband, Mohammad Yousuf, had died from the same mysterious illness earlier this week. Both were relatives of Mohammad Aslam, who lost five children to the illness.
Notably, more than a dozen people, including minors, have died under unknown circumstances. In an earlier statement, the government had indicated that clinical reports, laboratory investigations, and environmental analyses showed no evidence of a communicable disease. Toxicological analysis conducted by CSIR-IITR detected toxins in multiple biological specimens.
The Home Department has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to determine the root cause of the deaths. (KNO)
