4 more affected by mysterious illness in J&K’s Budhal
Patients airlifted to PGI Chandigarh
Mudasir Ahmad
Rajouri, Jan 22 (KINS): Fear continues to grip Budhal village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir as four new cases of a mysterious illness have been reported in the last two days.
So far, 17 people have died due to the illness in Budhal, which has a population of around 8,000. The community remains in a state of panic as investigations into the cause of these deaths are ongoing.
On Tuesday, 25-year-old Aijaz Ahmad was admitted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri in critical condition. He was later airlifted to PGI Chandigarh during the night.
One of his relatives said that Aijaz had been in contact with the daughter of Mohammad Aslam at hospital, who had earlier succumbed to the mysterious illness.
“On Monday, he developed a fever and began vomiting. By Tuesday, he fell unconscious and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition,” the relative told KINS.
Similarly, three sisters were admitted to GMC Rajouri before being airlifted to PGI Chandigarh. Although their condition was not critical, they exhibited symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and weakness.
The three sisters are relatives of Mohammad Afzal, whose family was the first to report cases of the illness. Afzal and four of his family members died on December 5.
Initially, four families were primarily affected, but cases are now being reported from other households as well.
Authorities have urged individuals who have been in close contact with affected families to report to GMC Rajouri for screening. On Wednesday, several residents from Budhal underwent screening, with some admitted to a designated ward at GMC Rajouri for monitoring. Another ward has been prepared to handle potential emergencies.
To contain the outbreak, the district administration has declared Budhal a containment zone and imposed restrictions on gatherings in the area.
Containment Zone 1: Homes of families where deaths have occurred will be sealed. Entry is strictly prohibited unless authorized by designated officials.
Containment Zone 2: Families identified as close contacts will be relocated to GMC Rajouri for continuous health monitoring.
Containment Zone 3: All households in Budhal village are under strict surveillance. Staff will monitor food distribution and consumption three times daily to ensure accountability.
Additionally, police personnel will oversee the consumption of replaced food items, and all public and private gatherings within the containment zones are prohibited.
The district administration has directed officials to ensure proper monitoring and accountability for all meals provided to affected families in these zones.(KINS)
