14 children die, over dozen hospitalised due to Encephalitis in Bihar

Muzaffarpur: As many as 14 children have died in Bihar's Muzaffarpur due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) while over a dozen are admitted in hospitals with high fever and other symptoms of the infection.

Sunil Shahi, Superintendent of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), told news agency ANI, "We have received 38 patients so far, most of them have a deficiency of glucose in their blood. The overall casualty till now is 14."

Dr Gopal Sahni, head of Critical Care Unit, said, "When heat and humidity rise, the body's sweat cannot evaporate. The humidity level is over 50 per cent in the last few days. We have about 15 such children admitted in the hospital currently. Eight-nine such cases come regularly."

Encephalitis is a viral infection which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as a fever or a headache.