India Probes Mystery Illness As 17 Die in Jammu and Kashmir

The fatalities have been reported in Badhaal village in the Rajouri district since early December, with all victims belonging to three related families, according to local reports.

The village was declared a containment zone earlier this week, with approximately 230 residents quarantined, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

All the deaths involved brain and nervous system damage, said Amarjeet Singh Bhatia, head of Rajouri's government medical college.

“The winter vacations have also been cancelled to deal with the medical alert situation,” Bhatia told PTI.

India's federal government has launched a formal investigation into the matter. Health minister Jitendra Singh said preliminary findings suggest the cause was "not due to any infection, virus or bacteria but rather a toxin."

“There is a long series of toxins being tested. I believe a solution will be found soon. Additionally, if there was any mischief or malicious activity, that is also being investigated,” Singh told PTI.

In a separate incident, authorities in Pune, Maharashtra, reported 73 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder.

Among the cases are 26 women, with 14 patients requiring ventilator support, an official told PTI.

The World Health Organization describes GBS as a condition in which the immune system attacks peripheral nerves, potentially causing muscle weakness, loss of sensation in limbs, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.