Symptoms like organophosphorus poisoning likely behind 17 deaths in Badhal

Three sisters airlifted to GMC Jammu discharged, reached Rajouri.
Viscera reports still awaited, may come within a week: Doctor
Atropine injection administered worked well among survivors: Doctor Shyam Sood

jj correspondent
Rajouri, January 27: In an encouraging development, the Medicine Department GMC Rajouri treating patients from Badhal area–from where seventeen deaths including of 13 children were reported between December 7 and 19—has claimed that after atropine injections administered to patients no death has been reported to date.
According to Principal GMC Rajouri and Doctor of Medicine Department, symptoms like organophosphorus poisoning could be behind these deaths and further investigation is going on as the reports of viscera samples of the deceased collected at GMC Rajouri & GMC Jammu are still awaited.
The exact cause behind deaths would be clear only after these official reports.
Some organophosphorus compounds are highly effective insecticides, although some are extremely toxic to humans, including sarin and VX nerve agents.
A doctor said: “The first cluster of nine patients (December 7) were treated as cases of food poisoning out of which four died. The second cluster of patients was treated for bacterial/viruses and three children died and the results of treatment were not satisfactory as the reason behind the deaths remained mystery”. In the third round after January 12, 6 children of Mohd Aslam and his maternal uncle/aunt died due to unidentified illness.
Principal GMC was also of the view that they are fighting against an invisible enemy. Even Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo has also ruled out that there is no possibility of virus and infection after conducting tests at multiple institutes of India.
Principal GMC said during treatment of 9 patients admitted after December 7, two patients were administered atropine injections to two patients namely Abdul Qayoom & Danish as the heartbeat of both the patients fell between 30-40 and later both survived.
“While studying the data of treatment to all the deceased and the survivors, we concluded that atropine injection administered-given under hit & trial method- worked. It was also tried on one Aijaz who was airlifted to Chandigarh and during the journey he became stable,” said Principal.
The doctor said that after Aijaz, all the patients were administered atropine, and they
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survived. After January 19 there was no death and all the 11 patients under treatment in AH GMC Rajouri at present responded to treatment and are stable.
Meanwhile, three sisters, who were airlifted to GMC Jammu on January 22, have been discharged from GMC & AMGH hospitals on Monday (January 27) and reached Rajouri GMC, where more than 45 family members, close relatives and high-risk contacts of the deceased persons have been kept under observation.
On the directions of Chief Secretary, Secretary Health and Medical Education, and Divisional Commissioner Jammu, district administration established quarantine centers in Rajouri and about 350 residents of affected B-Badhal panchayat have been brought to these quarantine centers as a precautionary measure.
No new case was reported after these people were quarantined two days back.