India, Oct. 27 -- Six children suffering from thalassemia have contracted HIV after they were allegedly administered infected blood during transfusions at a hospital in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, prompting the state government to order a high-level investigation and suspend the civil surgeon and other officials concerned, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday. The Jharkhand high court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought a detailed report from the health secretary.

The development comes days after a seven-year-old thalassemia patient, who had received a blood transfusion at a local blood bank in Chaibasa town on September 13, tested HIV positive during a follow-up test on October 18. His family later ...