Muzaffarpur: With one more death at government-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, the death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) mounted to 178 in the affected districts.
On June 18, Bihar Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar informed that 12 extra doctors have been deputed at SKMCH from different districts in Muzaffarpur, of which 4 are from Darbhanga Medical College & Hospital, 4 from Nalanda Medical College & Hospital and 4 from Patna Medical College & Hospital.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the children who died due to the AES. He had also given directions to the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures for the containment of the disease.
The AES is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and in extreme cases, brain dysfunction, seizure, and inflammation of heart and kidney.