A mysterious illness has claimed the lives of five children from one household in Qaziano Kalay, Khyber district, and left two more unconscious, police said on Monday.
According to local police, the seven children, all from the Shah Ji family, fell ill in the Bazar Zakha Khel area, which falls under Bazar Zakha Khel police station. Five died on the way to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) in Peshawar, where the affected children were being taken. Police said the dead were reportedly all under five, and included three girls and two boys.
Survivors in hospital as cause remains unknown
The two surviving children were admitted to HMC and are receiving treatment, according to police. The immediate cause of the deaths and of the illness has not been determined.
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Health department sends team to probe deaths
The Khyber health department has dispatched a special medical team to the locality to investigate the deaths and identify the nature of the illness. The department said the team will examine the circumstances of the deaths and the unconsciousness, and look into possible causes. It said the actual cause had yet to be established and that findings would be made public once medical examinations and investigations are complete.
