8 children die in West Bengal hospital

At least eight children died and 17 others were hospitalised after suffering from an unidentified illness at Malda Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal.

"The children, aged between 1-6 years, were admitted here with high fever, vomiting and convulsion on Thursday night. The children died in the past couple of days," Superintendent-cum-Vice Principal of the medical college M A Rashid said.

All the affected children hail from Kaliachak-I, Kaliachak-II and Kaliachak-III blocks of Malda district, officials said.

Rashid said, "The symptoms started with fever and vomiting. It soon intensified and culminated in convulsions, leading to death of the children."
 

A team of specialists from School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata will visit the area today.

Three more children were admitted here with similar symptoms today, officials said.