TOXIC TRAGEDY: Seven Children Dead, Dozens More Fall Ill After Taking Suspect Cough Syrup Containing Deadly Chemical Linked to Over 300 Deaths Worldwide
- Seven children, aged between one and seven, have died in India’s Madhya Pradesh after taking a suspect cough syrup that may contain the toxic chemical diethylene glycol.
- Lab tests have confirmed the presence of the deadly chemical, which has been linked to more than 300 deaths in The Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan.
- Indian health authorities have banned the sale of two cough syrups, Coldrif and Nextro-DS, and are going door-to-door to collect medicine samples as they investigate the cause of the children’s deaths.
In a devastating turn of events, seven young children have lost their lives in a suspected mass poisoning linked to a toxic cough syrup in India’s Madhya Pradesh. The latest victim, four-year-old Vikas Yaduvanshi, died in hospital just days ago from suspected kidney failure.
According to District Hospital Paediatrician Deepak Patel, the children who died were all under the age of seven and had initially been treated for mild colds. However, despite showing initial improvement, they began to experience severe kidney infections and stopped urinating.
Lab tests have since confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical that has been linked to more than 300 deaths worldwide. The chemical is sometimes used as a cheaper alternative to non-toxic solvents in liquid medicines.
Indian health authorities have swiftly banned the sale of two cough syrups, Coldrif and Nextro-DS, and are working to determine the cause of the children’s deaths. “An investigation is being conducted by experts,” said Chhindwara Collector Sheelendra Singh.
Mr Singh issued a stark warning to parents, urging them to exercise extreme caution when administering medication to their children. “Some doctors have suggested that syrups and drugs should be used with caution. A few samples have been collected, and an advisory has been issued for doctors and parents to refrain from using certain syrups as a precautionary measure for the time being.”
In a heartbreaking development, parents have been advised to avoid consulting unqualified medical practitioners, known as “quacks,” and instead seek medical attention from certified doctors. “Parents have been advised to ensure their children consume only pure water and healthy food,” Mr Singh added.