Chandigarh, February 15 Seven deaths, four of which were due to hepatitis B, have been reported in a Haryana village over the past two weeks, prompting authorities to deploy a health department team to test the residents.
More than 400 people have been screened for symptoms in the Chhainsa village in the Hathin sub-division of Palwal district, officials said on Sunday.
However, some villagers claimed that the number of deaths was higher and included a few young people.
Officials said that four of the deceased were found to be positive for hepatitis B, but the exact cause of death in the other three cases is under investigation, with food poisoning and contaminated drinking water not ruled out.
Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV).
The state health department team is collecting blood samples and other samples for testing, they said.
A few patients who required hospitalization have been admitted to the civil hospital. The deceased had symptoms such as fever, vomiting, weakness, and stomach pain.