Bihar: Death toll touches 100 in Muzaffarpur due to Encephalitis, Harsh Vardhan named in case for negligence

Death toll due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Muzaffarpur, Bihar has increased to 100, with at least 20 children losing their lives on Sunday. According to the DM, 83 children have died at the Sri Krishna Medical College and remaining 17 died at Kejriwal Hospital.

Over 290 children are still admitted in the ICU of the Sri Krishna Medical College. Severe heatwave conditions have worsened the situation, with 32 people across the state losing their lives due to heatstroke.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, visited Bihar to review measures taken for containment and management of the AES as the casualties continue to rise.

During his visit, Harsh Vardhan also announced setting up of a state-of-the-art research centre in Muzaffarpur within a year to deal with the menace of the disease.

"The central government will provide all possible help including financial to the state to control the situation, provide proper treatment and develop infrastructure needed for it," Health Minister said

He added that a new 100-bed Intensive Care Unit will be set up in SKMCH within a year to provide proper treatment to patients with AES symptoms.

Meanwhile, as the fatalities continue to rise, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to families of the deceased. All schools in the area and state's capital have also been ordered to remain shut till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather conditions.

Harsh Vardhan named in Bihar children deaths case

A case was filed on Monday against Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey in a court in Muzaffarpur district on charges of negligence leading to the deaths of 82 children due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the past fortnight.

Social activist Tamanna Hashmi filed the case in the Muzaffarpur Chief Judicial Magistrate's (CJM) court on Monday.

The petition said that Harsh Vardhan and Mangal Pandey failed to fulfill their duties to control the outbreak of AES, while both had done nothing to create awareness and sensitise people in the affected areas despite the fact that AES had been killing children for years.