22 Children Die Of Mystery Disease In A State In Eastern India

MUZAFFARPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- At least 22 children below the age of six years have died and 35 others hospitalised due to a mystery disease during the past one week in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, officials said.

While four children died at the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), three others died at Kejriwal hospital in Muzaffarpur town, they said.

SKMCH Paediatrician Dr Braj Mohan confirmed the death of four children at the hospital since Saturday.

Superintendent of Kejriwal hospital Dr Bibi Giri told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the three children below the age of six years died due to suspected encephalitis at the hospital during the past 24 hours.

While, 15 others have been admitted for treatment.

The health department of the north Indian state of Bihar has sent a team of experts from Patna to the district.

The team had already collected the blood samples and returned to the state capital, Principal secretary (health), Amarjeet Sinha said.

The blood samples were sent to a specialised laboratory in Pune for examination, he added.

Bihar lies mid-way between West Bengal in the east and Uttar Pradesh in the west. It is bounded by the country of Nepal to the north and by Jharkhand to the south.