7 children die in Rajasthan due to ‘unknown illness’; victims show same symptoms of seizures, vomiting

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan govt Saturday confirmed that the deaths of seven children this month in Ghata, Lalpura and Kunda villages of Lasadiya block in the tribal areas of Salumber district were linked to an “unknown” illness.

While opposition parties claim 15 children died of an unconfirmed illness across the area in April, the govt dismissed the claims as false, maintaining that the causes of death could not be determined in only seven cases this month. The deaths of other children reported from the area have been attributed to illnesses such as pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea.

Officials said the seven deceased children all exhibited similar symptoms, such as seizures and vomiting, before their deaths, adding that the cause of these fatalities remains unknown pending post-mortem reports. The latest death of a five-year-old girl Friday came with reports of blood in her vomit along with seizures.

“Seven children have died due to a mysterious disease in Ghata, Lalpura and Kunda villages. They exhibited identical symptoms like seizures and vomiting,” said Jagdish Bamaniya, sub-divisional magistrate of Salumber, who also holds additional charge of Lasadiya block

“A post-mortem was conducted on the body of one child who died in Kunda village, and the report will help establish the cause of death,” he added, attributing the deaths of other children reported from the area to pneumonia and other prolonged illnesses.

He said the deaths of five children were reported in the first week of April in Ghata and Lalpura, while two children died more recently in Kunda. Relatives described all seven deaths as “sudden”. “They told us that the children were playing just hours before their deaths,” Bamaniya said.

Preliminary tests among sick children in the area have indicated multiple illnesses, including malaria and diarrhoea.

After the two latest deaths in Kunda on Thursday and Friday, the local administration formed seven medical teams to conduct surveys. The Animal Husbandry Department, meanwhile, is surveying livestock and collecting samples to check whether any infection may have spread from animals to humans.

Officials said the roughly 2,500 residents of Kunda village have been cooperating with health and district administration teams.
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