Bihar: Encephalitis claims 54 children, 132 hospitalised

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Muzaffarpur: As many as 54 children have died over the last few weeks due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and another 132 have been hospitalised until now in Bihar’s in Muzaffarpur.

The preliminary symptoms of the alarming number of deaths include high fever and convulsions — an ailment locally referred to as ‘chamki fever’. However, experts opine that the state government is still confused over the real “cause”. While some believe that hypoglycemia to be the cause behind the outbreak.

Hypoglycemia is a condition that causes an abnormally low level of sugar in the blood or deficiency of sodium or potassium in the body.

A number of children have been admitted to various government and private hospitals. Despite local officials and administrators on high alert, the deaths do not seem to stop.

Later on Thursday, news agency ANI reported that the toll had risen to 54, with 46 deaths at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and eight at Kejriwal Hospital in the city. News18 was unable to independently confirm the figures.

Meanwhile, the state government in an official statement on Tuesday cited the reason to be hypoglycemia — low blood sugar level. According to medical experts and practitioners, there is an anomaly.

The families of every child who succumbed to Encephalitis and of those currently admitted in hospitals have one thing in common — poor financial status leading to malnutrition in the children and, thus, low sugar levels. Experts informed that in the months when the mercury rises above 40 degree Celsius, intense malnutrition coupled with extreme temperatures produce an irreversible effect in the body leading to death.

Encephalitis is an inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the brain. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, poor appetite, loss of energy, and a general sick feeling.

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