Encephalitis toll rises to 225 in Bihar

Encephalitis toll in Bihar since May this year rose to 225 following the death of four more children, official sources said on Friday.

Four more children died at the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and Kejriwal Charitable Hospital at Muzaffarpur to take the Encephalitis toll in both the hospitals to 157, the sources said.

52 children have died at the Patna Medical College and Hospital and 11 at the Anugrah Narayan Magadh College and Hospital at Gaya, R P Ojha, additional secretary in the health department, told reporters.

In Vaishali district five children have died of encephalitis, Ojha said said.

Another 121 children have been taken ill with symptoms of encephalitis and undergoing treatment at various hospitals, he said.

The state government has declared 10 districts as encephalitis-affected and set up mobile medical units equipped with ambulance to provide medical facilities to affected children, the health official said.

The state government has decided to provide a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to the kin of the encephalitis victims from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, he said, adding that an awareness campaign was organized among the people about encephalitis during pulse polio campaign.

The health department has set up a control room Telephone number (0612-2215506) which will open from 6 am to 8 pm for the benefit of the encephalitis patients and their families, Principal Secretary (Health) Vyasji said.