A SUSPECTED case of drug poisoning has tragically killed at least 14 children in two weeks.
Health officials believe contaminated cough syrup could be responsible for the sudden outbreak of kidney failure among children under five.
Contaminated cough syrup could be the cause of at least 14 children’s deaths over a fornight.[/caption]
The tragedy began in Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh in India, where children began to suffer from what appeared to be routine seasonal fevers.
Parents reported their children had mild colds and were prescribed cough syrups by local doctors.
Despite symptoms at first subsiding, the children stopped urinating and developed severe kidney infections within days.
Three children died in Nagpur, despite receiving advanced medical care.
Lab tests later revealed the presence of diethylene glycol in kidney tissue samples.
Diethylene glycol is a toxic chemical linked to drug contamination.
