Not Virus Or Bacteria, Here's What Caused "Mystery Illness" In J&K's Rajouri

Experts have found the cause behind the "mystery illness" that has claimed at least 17 lives in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. The deaths had sparked fear and panic in the Budhal village over the past month, leading to a central team being formed to probe the cause. Doctors had earlier ruled out any virus or bacterial presence in the samples. In the latest update, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the media that the illness was due to cadmium toxin.

Speaking to Dainik Jagran, Mr Singh said cadmium was detected in the bodies of the victims during the tests at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow. How cadmium found its way inside the body is still a matter of investigation, he said, clarifying no other virus, bacteria, or infection was found in the victims' samples.

Read: Special Team To Probe 15 Deaths In Jammu & Kashmir's Rajouri Due To Mysterious Illness

"If there is any mischief, then we will know about it," he asserted.

Cadmium is a highly toxic metal that can cause several ailments if it finds its way inside the body. Cadmium poisoning can occur due to polluted air or consumption of contaminated food and water.

Last week, a team of health experts said that the deaths were caused by neurotoxins. The victims had a common medical condition - brain swelling or edema, Dr AS Bhatia, principal of Government Medical College (GMC), Rajouri had said.

The samples were tested at top laboratories, including the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, which showed the presence of neurotoxins that resulted in brain damage, according to Dr Bhatia.

"We try to mitigate the problem of patients reporting with brain damage, but once the patient reports with serious brain damage, we cannot reverse the condition," he had said, assuring that the health department was actively monitoring the situation.

Containment Zone, Quarantine

Rajouri has been trying to battle the "mysterious illness" since early December. The 17 deaths, including 14 children, from three families had the centre and state authorities scrambling to find an answer. Six more teenagers, including three siblings, have fallen ill in the last two days and are being kept in isolation wards at GMC, Rajouri.

Authorities have quarantined over 200 people who had come into contact with the victims' families. The close contacts from Budhal were shifted to the Nursing College, Rajouri for better preventive care on DC Abhishek Sharma's directions, an official said.

Entire Budhal has been declared a containment zone and the district administration has set up facilities for families who were relocated.

GMC Rajouri has also strengthened its arrangements with five more child specialities and five anaesthesia specialists being put on duty. All types of advanced technology are there to handle any emergency, confirmed Dr Bhatia.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Rajouri earlier this week and assured the citizens that the central and state authorities are trying to find the reason behind the deaths.

An inter-ministerial team was formed by the Union Home Ministry last week to probe the unexplained deaths.