As many as 20 infants reportedly died at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) in between a time span of just nine days, starting November 1. The deaths have prompted the State health department to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, a team of experts, comprising of the Director of Medical Education, Dr. Anup Kumar Barman, and a team of UNICEF will be visiting the JMCH on Saturday to investigate the deaths.

In view of the deaths of the babies, the JMCH Superintendent Prof Saurabh Borkotoky has ordered an inquiry to "thoroughly examine" the causes of death and suggest remedial measures.

The doctor suspected contamination at certain level or some professional negligence for these deaths. But this has caused great scare amongst the mothers and probable mothers who are treating themselves at JMCH and most of them are seen taking alternative arrangement as a precaution.

It was also reported that there was crisis of beds in the ICU of JMCH as 80 newborns had to be admitted in ICU of the hospital whose capacity was only 40 beds.