Fact-check: Viral claim of three deaths from juice in Islamabad debunked

Last week, social media in Pakistan was flooded with claims that three people in the federal capital Islamabad died after consuming contaminated juice boxes.

The claim is false.

Claim

“There are reports of three deaths in the past 72 hours reportedly after consuming some juice from the area of G-6. The victims were aged 34, 19, and 22,” a user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The post further alleged that two critically ill patients were taken to CDA Hospital, where they later died. It also claimed that the brand of the juice could not be identified, as one of the deceased only mentioned “juice” before passing away.

Similar claims have also been shared on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and Threads here, here, here and here.

Fact

The claim that people in Islamabad died after consuming packaged juice has been debunked by health officials and the hospitals cited in the viral posts.

Dr Naeem Taj, the executive director of Capital Hospital Islamabad (a facility under the Capital Development Authority), said that a review of medical records and coordination with relevant health departments found no evidence linking the reported deaths to juice consumption.

According to Dr Taj, two of the patients had presented with chest pain, while the third had no history of consuming juice on the day of death.

An official from the District Health Office (DHO) Islamabad also confirmed to Geo Fact Check that the claim had been reviewed and found to be false. The official stated that the District Commissioner, DHO, and other relevant departments found no record of such an incident in any government hospital in Islamabad.

Dr Imran Sikandar, the medical superintendent at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, along with an official from the Federal General Hospital, also dismissed the claims.

Additionally, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), in an official post on X (Twitter), stated that no evidence was found linking the reported deaths to unsafe juice consumption after reviewing hospital records. It added that teams from the Islamabad Food Authority also inspected markets near the residences of the deceased but found no trace of hazardous juice products.

Verdict: Multiple official sources and government hospitals have confirmed that no such deaths were reported or documented in Islamabad. Hospital records and coordinated investigations found no evidence linking any fatalities to juice consumption.

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