Encephalitis in Bihar: Death Toll Due to AES Jumps to 131 in Muzaffarpur
According to a tweet by ANI, a total of 111 deaths were reported at the government-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) while 20 were reported at Kejriwal Hospital in Muzaffarpur.
Patna, June 25: Panic and fear continued to grip Bihar as the death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) jumped to to 131 in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday. According to a tweet by ANI, a total of 111 deaths were reported at the government-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) while 20 were reported at Kejriwal Hospital in Muzaffarpur. Reports inform that while the death toll is rising each day, over 100 children are still being treated. Encephalitis in Muzaffarpur: All About the Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention of the Brain Inflammation.
Earlier this week, remains of human skeletons were recovered from the SKMCH hospital in Muzaffarpur. SKMCH Superintendent Dr Sunil Kumar Shahi told the media that he had ordered an internal inquiry after parts of deformed human bones and broken skull were found by some people behind the hospital premises. Can Lychees Be Poisonous? Litchis Linked to Encephalitis Deaths in Muzaffarpur – How to Eat This Fruit Safely.
On Monday, a Bihar court ordered an investigation against Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on charges of negligence that killed nearly 131 children due to AES in Muzaffarpur district over the past fortnight. Lychee Havoc in Bihar: Deaths Due to Encephalitis on The Rise in Muzaffarpur, Over a Dozen Admitted to Hospitals.
Muzaffarpur is known as the litchi hub of the country. In the view of the rising encephalitis deaths, state Health Minister Prem Kumar had ordered a probe to investigate if consumption of the litchi fruit is leading to the deaths. He said that it was widely believed that litchis could be one of the reasons behind the AES outbreak. The AES outbreak is normally reported during the litchi harvest season in summer. Although till date, it has not been officially verified that the virus is caused by the fruit.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2019 09:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).