After 21-day quarantine, 364 villagers return home in Rajouri’s Badhaal

The villagers were quarantined in the aftermath of 16 deaths, including 13 children, between December 7 last year and January 19 this year from a ‘mysterious’ illness

After a 21-day quarantine in three government facilities, 364 residents of Rajouri’s Badhaal village were discharged on Thursday and returned home, officials said.

Residents of Rajouri’s Badhaal village were quarantined on January 24 after 16 deaths from a ‘mysterious’ illness. (ANI File)

Rajouri district commissioner Abhishek Sharma said the move came after All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, issued guidelines after keeping the villagers under observation.

The villagers were quarantined in the aftermath of 16 deaths, including 13 children, between December 7 last year and January 19 this year from a ‘mysterious’ illness. The deceased hailed from three families related to each other. The authorities, from Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Centre, were left baffled and grappled to ascertain the cause behind the deaths.

However, no new cases have been reported since January 24. The authorities quarantined 87 families comprising 364 individuals on January 24 in three government facilities in Rajouri, the government nursing college, government boys higher secondary school and Government Medical College & Associated Hospital.

Kotranka additional district commissioner Dil Mir Choudhary said, “Ration under the surveillance of the administration is being stocked in the houses of the villagers.”

He added that comprehensive arrangements have been ensured for comfort and safety of the affected families. Officials said they are being provided meals, water, sanitary items, medicines, clothing and other necessities under observation of the doctors and the administration.

The officials added that though no conclusive report has come out yet, an antidote based on atropine has served as an effective cure.