In the wake of mysterious deaths and serious illnesses reported in Palwal’s Chhanysa over the past few days, a team of central experts visited the affected village on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) to conduct a detailed assessment of the situation. The team conducted detailed interviews with the families of the deceased and hospitalised patients.
Deputy Commissioner Harish Kumar Vashisht stated that during the investigation, it was found that all cases had a common condition of acute liver failure, characterised by a rapid decline in vital parameters and multi-organ failure.
Health department team deployed in Haryana village after 4 deaths due to hepatitis B
Mr. Vashisht told The Hindu that no new deaths and hospital admissions were reported after February 11. “The situation is under control after the steps taken by the local administration. Though the exact cause of deaths is still not known, but we are not totally clueless. The health department has zeroed in on three-four possible causes and tests are being conducted to verify the exact reason for the deaths and illness.”
According to the health department report, seven deaths have been reported in the village so far. Four cases of hepatitis B and 17 cases of hepatitis C have been confirmed. Experts have clarified that hepatitis B and C are less likely to cause such acute deaths. The central team has recommended conducting a door-to-door survey to identify individuals with symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.), with special attention to testing for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Leptospirosis, and Scrub Typhus.
