27 children die of mysterious disease

With three more deaths reported on Tuesday, altogether 27 children have died so far in the last 11 days in Muzaffarpur and Gaya due to a mysterious disease. It is suspected that most of the children have succumbed to brain-fever, also called encephalitis, but the health department officials in Bihar have not confirmed the cause of the death yet.

“It is yet to be confirmed whether the deaths are due to encephalitis or any other ailment,” said Dr SP Singh, Director-in-chief, Health Services. Singh has sought a detailed report from the civil surgeons of the two districts.

Meanwhile, Health Commissioner Amarjit Sinha rushed to Muzaffarpur on Tuesday and took stock of the alarming situation.  Altogether 19 children have died in the district due to ‘brain fever’. He assured the parents that those children admitted in Muzaffarpur hospitals would be shifted to Patna for best possible treatment.