Two more children die of encephalitis in Bihar, toll goes up to 37

So far 143 cases of AES have been reported from 11 districts of Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, East Champaran, Patna, Nalanda, Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, Gaya, Bhojpur and Aurangabad.

Even as two more children died of suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur on Wednesday, taking the official toll to 37, a central team of experts arrived in the town today to take stock while union minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey was scheduled to come on Thursday.

Doctors treat children after they found a symptom of Acute Encephalitis syndrome in Muzzafarpur on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. ((ANI Photo))

Union minister of health and family welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan was also scheduled to come, but his programme had to be cancelled, sources said.

“Two more children died today due to AES at the Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur, taking the death toll up to 37,” said Bihar’s principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar. He, however, conceded he did not have figures of the Kejriwal Maternity Clinic (KMC), Muzaffarpur, where many children with symptoms of AES are undergoing treatment. “Till Monday, 28 children had died of AES at the SKMCH and seven at the KMC.”

So far 143 cases of AES have been reported from 11 districts of Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, East Champaran, Patna, Nalanda, Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, Gaya, Bhojpur and Aurangabad.

The seven-member central team, headed by senior paediatrician Dr Arun Singh, national advisor of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, ministry of health and family welfare (MoH&FW), would review the situation arising from surge in AES in Muzaffarpur and assist the state in control of the disease. The team has been asked to submit its report to the director-general of health services.

Quoting Choubey, his media in-charge Ved Prakash said, “The minister will arrive in Patna on Thursday and head for Muzaffarpur. The Centre is keeping a close watch on the situation. Earlier in the day, the minister had reviewed the situation with joint secretary, NVBDCP, at his official chamber in New Delhi.”