Bihar: Death toll rises to 137 in Muzaffarpur due to Encephalitis

News Bharati    03-Jul-2019
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Patna, July 3: Death Toll due to the outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has risen to 137 in the state. Since a few weeks, the state is fighting against this disease. Both center and state have joined hands to eradicate the outbreak.

 

Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), which is handling the largest number of patients in the district, reported 116 deaths while there were 21 deaths in Kejriwal Hospital.

On the other side, the Bihar government has told the Supreme Court that there are 5,205 doctors in government-run health centres against the sanctioned strength of 12,206. In an affidavit, the state government said, only 5,634 nurses were there in government-run hospitals and health centers against the sanctioned strength of 19,155.

The apex court had, last month, directed the state to apprise it about the status of public medical care facilities, nutrition and sanitation within a week in view of deaths of over 100 children in Muzaffarpur due to AES.

"Bihar government had already taken all the possible steps to prevent the all possible disease by providing medical facilities at the affected region, public awareness campaign at the village level, involving various agencies to assist the government etc," the affidavit read.

The government said that it, in cooperation of Centre and AIIMS, provided all the medical facilities to treat the affected children.

AES is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and in extreme cases, brain dysfunction, seizure, and inflammation of heart and kidney.