Hepatitis B deaths in Palwal: Probe ordered into energy drinks and unsafe injections

Gurgaon: Days after a jaundice and hepatitis B outbreak claimed seven lives, the Palwal district administration ordered a probe into the sale of energy drinks and the role of unqualified medical practitioners in Chainsa village.Deputy commissioner Harish Kumar Vashishth said on Monday, "Administration is now examining unsafe medical practices, reuse of syringes and unregulated treatment by quacks, along with the consumption of energy drinks, as possible contributing factors. The aim is not just to control the present situation but to prevent recurrence. Teams will check illegal medical practices and other risk factors that may have contributed to the spread."
The administration's decision to examine energy drink sales follows health officials flagging "unchecked consumption among village youths", even as hepatitis cases emerged. Officials said such drinks "can intensify liver damage" in infected persons, raising concerns over unregulated availability during a public health crisis.Health officers said excessive intake of high-caffeine energy drinks can aggravate liver stress and may worsen liver injury in people with undiagnosed hepatitis, even if the drinks are not the source of infection.The DC said no deaths linked to the illness were reported after Feb 11 and claimed the situation in the village is now stable. Health department teams continue to remain deployed in the village round the clock, he said.The DC cautioned that reuse of needles and syringes is a major source of blood-borne infections and urged villagers to seek treatment only from registered doctors. He also warned that contaminated drinking water could play a role in the spread of infection. He said the administration remains on high alert, with continuous health surveillance, awareness drives and testing underway in the village. "The source of infection and the reasons behind the spread are being investigated," he said, adding that the district administration will continue to monitor the situation closely in coordination with the health department.Addressing concerns over fatalities, Vashishth said that of the 15 deaths reported in the village during the period, only seven were linked to the illness, while the remaining deaths were due to natural causes, mental health issues, or occurred outside the village.According to officials, special health camps continue to operate at multiple locations in Chainsa, with door-to-door surveys, blood tests, medicines and vaccinations being provided as precautionary measures.The outbreak was first reported by TOI on Feb 15, after seven residents of Chainsa died between Jan 27 and Feb 11, prompting the Haryana health department to launch an investigation. The deaths had triggered large-scale health surveillance and water safety checks.As reported earlier by TOI, four of the seven deaths were linked to acute hepatitis or acute liver failure with hepatic encephalopathy, with patients showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice before death. All seven patients later died at Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt Medical College in Nalhar.Following the deaths, rapid response teams were deployed, medical camps were set up and large-scale screening for hepatitis A, B, C and E was initiated, along with bacteriological testing of drinking water sources in the village.