Overview

• Six children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara died from kidney failure between September 4 and 26 after receiving syrups, leading the district to ban Coldrif and Nextro-DS pending test results.
• A central NCDC team and ICMR specialists have collected drug, biological and environmental samples, including those sent to the Virology Institute in Pune, while state drug labs analyse seized medicines.
• Rajasthan reported a five-year-old’s death in Sikar and multiple illnesses in Bharatpur and other districts, prompting RMSCL to suspend distribution of multiple batches of a dextromethorphan hydrobromide syrup and launch a formal inquiry with statutory sampling.
• Local accounts say a community health centre in-charge and two ambulance drivers who tasted the Rajasthan syrup also experienced adverse effects and required treatment.
• Officials have issued advisories and stressed caution in paediatric use as investigations continue, with the Chhindwara collector citing suspected diethylene glycol contamination and the MP deputy chief minister saying preliminary checks have not confirmed contamination.