AES Outbreak: Death toll mounts to 125 in Bihar

The death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) mounted to 109 in government-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), said an official. With this, the number of AES casualties in Bihar rose to 125 on Sunday.

"Since last evening, one more child was admitted and one died in SKMCH due to AES. In total, 225 patients have been discharged till now and 39 will be discharged today" Superintendent Sunil Shahi told ANI.

With the death toll continued to rise due to AES, senior Resident Doctor deployed at SKMCH, Dr Bhimsen Kumar on Saturday was suspended over alleged negligence of duty.

"We have received a letter from the government regarding the suspension of Dr Bhimsen Kumar" he added.

The Health Department had deployed Kumar, a paediatrician at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) to SKMCH on 19 June after the AES outbreak.

On June 18, Bihar Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar informed that 12 extra doctors have been deputed at SKMCH from different districts in Muzaffarpur, of which 4 are from Darbhanga Medical College & Hospital, 4 from Nalanda Medical College & Hospital and 4 from Patna Medical College & Hospital.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the children who died due to the AES. He had also given directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures for the containment of the disease.

The AES is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and in extreme cases, brain dysfunction, seizure, and inflammation of heart and kidney.