Overview

• At least nine children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, have died from acute kidney failure after recent cough and cold illnesses, with families reporting use of dextromethorphan syrups such as Coldrif and Nextro-DS, and additional deaths were reported in Rajasthan.
• A joint central team and the Madhya Pradesh drug regulator said tested syrups showed no diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol, the Rajasthan product lacked propylene glycol, and one clinical sample returned positive for leptospirosis.
• State authorities froze stocks and banned specified batches, Rajasthan’s medical corporation barred 19 batches, and Tamil Nadu halted Coldrif sales as a precaution.
• Enforcement teams raided a Jabalpur distributor, traced 660 bottles with 16 sent to a lab, and ordered remaining supplies to be sealed while further testing proceeds.
• NCDC, NIV, CDSCO and ICMR are investigating potential drug, environmental and infectious causes, with about 1,420 children under active clinical monitoring and officials cautioning that a definitive cause has not been established.