Khyber reports five child deaths linked to mysterious illness

Five children from a single family have died, while two others were left unconscious after a mysterious illness struck Qaziano Kalay in Khyber’s Bazaar Zakha Khel tehsil.

Police said all seven children were being transported to hospitals in Peshawar when five died en route. The two survivors were taken to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), where they are currently receiving treatment.

The children belonged to a family headed by a man identified as Shah Ji. All five victims were reportedly below the age of five, including three girls and two boys.

Deputy Commissioner Khyber Shahid Ali said the district administration had arranged the children's immediate transfer to Peshawar for medical assistance. He added that preliminary tests had not revealed any abnormalities, leaving the cause of the illness undetermined.

The two surviving children remain under observation at HMC as doctors conduct further examinations to identify the condition and establish what caused it.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Landi Kotal Inam Wazir visited the hospital on the deputy commissioner's instructions to review the patients' condition, medical reports and treatment arrangements. Hospital officials briefed him on the situation, while the administration assured that all necessary support would be provided.