Showing encouraging mitigation signs, no new illness case has been reported among the residents of health crisis-hit Badhal village since 24 January while the Rajouri district administration, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma, is continuing with the intensive preventive care for their well being.

Seventeen people, including 13 children, have died and 15 other are hospitalised for treatment.

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To mitigate the situation and prevent further casualties, 364 members of 87 families were shifted to Rajouri from Badhal. These families are currently lodged in the the Government Nursing College, Government Boys Higher Secondary School and GMC & AH and are under observation.

Comprehensive arrangements have been made to ensure the comfort and safety of the affected families.

The families are being provided with meals, water, baby food, sanitary items, medicines, clothing and other daily necessities under close monitoring of the doctors and district administration.

For the comfortable stay of the families, the district administration has provided 240 beds, 490 blankets, and 303 mattresses, while keeping 176 beds, 300 blankets and 240 mattresses reserved.

An on-site medical team, comprising three doctors and six paramedics, has been put on round-the-clock duty. Critical care ambulances are stationed at the venues.

Meals are prepared in kitchens under CCTV surveillance, with food samples sent for testing at NFL Ghaziabad and Patoli Food Testing Lab, Jammu.

Anganwadi workers and Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) are deployed to take care of below six children. Temporary schooling arrangements are in place for school-going children.

Craft teachers and ITI instructors are providing training to individuals in tailoring and other trades. Sewing machines have been supplied by the Social Welfare Department.

To ensure the safety of the remaining 808 households (3,700 individuals) in Badhal, the village has been divided into 14 clusters monitored by multi-departmental teams of 182 officials.

All shops and establishments have been sealed, and ration is being provided under strict supervision. Teams are feeding 424 domestic animals and 168 poultry birds belonging to shifted families.

Daily sampling of food and consumables is underway and 167 blood, urine and nasal swab samples have been collected for testing at GMC Rajouri.

A control room under the supervision of the Additional District Development Commissioner has been established to coordinate efforts, address public queries, and provide updates to prevent panic.

The District Administration is addressing the situation comprehensively and ensuring the well-being of all affected families, said an official.