Three children of a family die within five days in Chitwan

In the northern hills of Chitwan, a devastating tragedy has struck a family, claiming the lives of three young siblings within a mere five days. The community is reeling from the loss, with initial suspicions pointing towards a potential case of wild mushroom poisoning. The Chepang family, residents of Kulbang village in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality, experienced the onset of severe symptoms – headache, vomiting, and diarrhea – beginning last Wednesday.

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Three children from the same family have died within five days in northern Chitwan after developing symptoms including headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, said doctors.

Tragically, the youngest, nine-year-old Namuna, passed away in the village on Friday. Her elder siblings, 13-year-old Manita and 11-year-old Sajan, were rushed to Bharatpur Hospital. Despite efforts to save them, Sajan died on Saturday night, and Manita succumbed to her illness on Tuesday morning. The parents, Shyam Bahadur Chepang and Padam Kumari, are reported to be in stable condition, though the emotional toll is immeasurable. Shyam Bahadur remains at the hospital, while his wife is in the village.

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The symptoms began on Wednesday. Between last Friday and Tuesday morning, all three children died.

While doctors at Bharatpur Hospital, including spokesperson Dr. Ram Prasad Sapkota, suspect wild mushroom poisoning due to the symptoms, they acknowledge that some details do not perfectly align with typical cases. The family recalls consuming maize rice and wild leafy vegetables, locally known as 'tanki,' on Tuesday evening, and Shyam Bahadur mentioned they had eaten a small amount of wild mushrooms about 10 days prior. This incident, while deeply sorrowful, is not entirely unprecedented in Chitwan, which has seen similar fatalities linked to poisonous mushrooms in the past, including a tragic case in 2010 where eight family members died from mushroom consumption.

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We usually eat wild mushrooms found in the forest. We ate only a very small amount once this year, and that was around 10 days before the children became sick.

This heartbreaking event underscores the dangers associated with foraging for wild edibles, a practice common in many rural communities. The Kathmandu Post, in reporting this story, aims to inform the public about the potential risks and the importance of caution, while also highlighting the community's resilience and the ongoing medical investigations. The focus remains on the loss experienced by the family and the broader implications for public health awareness in the region.

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the symptoms resembled poisoning caused by wild mushrooms, although further investigation and testing are underway because some details do not fully match typical cases.