Encephalitis: BJP leader accuses Nitish-led Bihar govt for not taking adequate preventive measures

Senior BJP leader Dr CP Thakur on Monday accused Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government of not taking adequate preventive measures against the deaths caused by encephalitis in the state.

Thakur, who is also a physician, raised questions over the issue of death due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), in a statement, which reads, "The government comes into active mode only at the time of the outbreak, when it should have been active beforehand to prevent it. The government should take this seriously and focus on research so that such diseases don't affect people in future."

He further stated that a high-level of investigation should be done if it happened due to the consumption of lychees.

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey had said that a team that was formed to ascertain the cause of this disease concluded that sleeping empty stomach at night, dehydration due to humidity and eating lychee on empty stomach were some of the causes of Encephalitis.

The BJP, however, is sharing power in the Bihar government with its leader Sushil Kumar Modi as the Deputy Chief Minister.

The death toll due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur rose to 104 on Monday, officials said.

Encephalitis is a viral infection which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions, and headaches.