india

Updated: Jun 22, 2019 07:33 IST

The death toll from acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) reached 141 in Bihar with the viral disease claiming the lives of three more children in Muzaffarpur on Friday.

As many as 18 districts were affected by encephalitis. Majority of the cases had been reported from Muzaffarpur (437), where 85 children have died so far.

A central team headed by Manoj Jalani, additional secretary of the ministry of health and family welfare, visited Muzaffarpur on Friday and suggested that test equipment should be made available in the four paediatric intensive care units (PICU) of the Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital. “Based on the suggestion of the Central team, we made available portable X-ray machine, portable ultrasonography and electrolyte testers in the PICU of the SKMCH. These equipment were available in the hospital, but the central team suggested that children undergoing treatment in PICU should not be taken out for these tests,” said Sanjay Kumar, Bihar’s principal secretary, health.

A team of experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research has reached SKMCH to make the virology laboratory operational at the earliest. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, during his visit to SKMCH on June 12, as also in 2014, had proposed setting up of a 100-bed PICU and virology laboratory at SKMCH Muzaffarpur. “We will construct a new maternity and child health block at the SKMCH that will also house the 100-bed PICU...,” added Kumar.

The death of children in Muzaffarpur due to encephalitis figured in the Rajya Sabha Friday, with opposition parties demanding that the government make an urgent intervention and pay compensation to families.

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that PM Narendra Modi is “constantly monitoring” the situation in Muzaffarpur and has directed to provide support to the government in Bihar. “... the Centre is providing all possible support to Bihar government...,” Harsh Vardhan tweeted.