Five children have died of encephalitis in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district since Friday, an official said Saturday.
Muzaffarpur civil surgeon Gayan Bhushan said five more children succumbed to encephalitis since Friday in state hospitals.
"So far, 23 children have died of encephalitis this year," he said.
Over half a dozen children have been admitted to government hospitals and in private nursing homes in Muzaffarpur.
Bhushan said that till date, 77 encephalitis cases have been reported across the state.
The symptoms of this mosquito-borne disease include high fever, irritation and swelling in the brain.
Bihar Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey blamed the deaths on the sudden rise in mercury in the last few days and humid weather following rains in north Bihar.
Last year, the disease killed nearly 240 children in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.