Bihar: Encephalitis death toll climbs to 142 in Muzaffarpur

The death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) mounted to 142 in Muzaffarpur district on Monday.

As per official data, 121 deaths have been reported at the government-run Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), which is handling the largest number of patients in the district, while 21 deaths have been confirmed at Kejriwal Hospital.

The state has been battling with the vector-borne disease since the last few weeks.

Speaking to ANI, SKMCH superintendent SK Shahi said: "A total of 454 patients were admitted in the hospital. We have discharged 302 and six patients are currently undergoing treatment in the Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The situation of three patients is critical and a total of 121 children died due to encephalitis."

He further said that the situation is getting better now as no patient with high fever or symptoms of AES has visited hospital since yesterday.

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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha earlier, had termed the AES deaths as "unfortunate" and "a matter of shame for the nation."

The Supreme Court had on June 24 expressed termed the rising number of deaths due to the disease, saying "it is a matter of great concern."

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the children who died due to AES.