At least 139 people, mostly children have died due to encephalitis outbreak till Saturday in Muzaffarpur. The Supreme Court will hear on Monday, 24 June, a PIL seeking direction to immediately constitute a team of medical experts for treatment of children suffering from AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome) in the town. The death toll in AES is constantly rising and even human skeletons were found in the premises of Muzaffarpur’s Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) on Saturday, June 22.
The human skeletons found in the premises of Muzafarpur’s Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital are under investigation by the team sent by the hospital on spot. SKMCH’s Dr. Vipin Kumar says, “Skeletal remains have been found. Detailed information will be provided by the Principal.” Hundreds of children have been admitted in the hospital registering the case of AES in SKMCH.
On Tuesday, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had visited the SKMCH and issued in directions to bring the situation under control, saying an environment study must be conducted in the affected areas. While Nitish Kumar visited the hospital, he faced protests by the angry people over increasing deaths. Earlier doctors have said that deaths were caused due to hypoglycemia but then it has now been confirmed that increasing deaths are due to encephalitis. There have been speculations that it has been increased due to litchis due to which Bihar Health Minister Prem Kumar has ordered probe into whether litchi is causing deaths or not. The probe report is still awaited to unleash the reason and Supreme Court’s hearing is expected to bring on some legitimate solution to this grave problem in Bihar.
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