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Written By: Admin | Published : June 8, 2013 1:50 PM IST
Five children died of encephalitis in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district since Friday, an official said. Muzaffarpur civil surgeon Gayan Bhushan said five more children succumbed to encephalitis since Friday in state hospitals. So far, 23 children died of encephalitis this year, he said.
Over half a dozen children were hospitalised in government hospitals and private nursing homes in Muzaffarpur, about 70 km from here. Bhushan told IANS over telephone that till date, 77 encephalitis cases have been reported across the state. The symptoms of this mosquito-borne disease include high fever, irritation and swelling in the brain. Bihar Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey blamed the deaths on the sudden rise in mercury in the last few days, following rains in north Bihar, and humid weather. Last year, the disease killed nearly 240 children in Muzaffarpur and Gaya districts.
What is encephalitis?
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. Sometimes, encephalitis can result from a bacterial infection, such as bacterial meningitis, or it may be a complication of other infectious diseases like rabies (viral) or syphilis (bacterial).
With inputs from IANS
