New horror outbreak: 14 people die from unknown disease

Badhal (India) - The fear is spreading. A mysterious disease is on the rise inIndia. 14 people have already died. The authorities are worried.

Local health teams examine a man.
Local health teams examine a man.  © Facebook/District Administration Rajouri/DM Rajouri

Fever, vomiting, loss of consciousness. Then death occurs.

The previously unknown disease has already claimed the lives of 14 people in the Indian state of Jamnu and Kashmir since the beginning of December, reports the daily newspaper"Hindustan Times". All of the dead are said to belong to the same family and live in the village of Badhal.

The most recent victims were little Safina (†6) and her uncle Mohammad (†62). Three teenagers are also showing symptoms, their condition has been described as critical and they are currently fighting for their lives in hospital.

What causes the disease is still completely unclear. While doctors initially assumed it was food poisoning, the focus later shifted to a possible viral infection. "If there had been an infection or food poisoning, the whole village would have been affected," a high-ranking official, who prefers to remain anonymous, told the Hindustan Times.

The official does not considerthe horror epidemic "a public health issue" - it is not contagious, he said.

What made the people of Badhal ill?

Representatives of the authorities speak to a patient at the local hospital. It is not known whether the woman is also suffering from the previously unknown disease.
Representatives of the authorities speak to a patient at the local hospital. It is not known whether the woman is also suffering from the previously unknown disease.  © Facebook/District Administration Rajouri/DM Rajouri

In the meantime, government disease specialists have arrived on site and started their work. More than 12,000 tests have been carried out on those affected, local residents and their belongings.

According to the newspaper"The New Indian Express", so-called neurotoxins were detected in the samples of the deceased - small particles that cause severe damage to the brain and nerves.

The epidemic specialists are now investigating the suspicion that a neurotoxin may have made the people ill. Further tests are necessary: Samples have been sent to India's leading laboratories and more extensive post-mortems have been ordered.

The police are now also investigating.