Over 100 kids die in UP, encephalitis suspected

Over 100 children are suspected to have died of encephalitis in Saharanpur and adjoining areas in western Uttar Pradesh in the past five day...

Over 100 children are suspected to have died of encephalitis in Saharanpur and adjoining areas in western Uttar Pradesh in the past five days, causing panic among people, a senior district health official said today.

However, reports quoting official sources in Lucknow put the death toll at 42. Teams of doctors from Delhi and Lucknow have reached Saharanpur to investigate the cause of deaths, Saharanpur Chief Medical Officer Ghanshyam Singh said.

He said reports of deaths of children from various hospitals in the district and neighbouring areas of Baghpat have been received and the toll could have crossed 100. The teams have collected blood samples, he said adding the children who have succumbed to the disease are from both the city and rural areas. The casualties have been reported from both government hospitals and private nursing homes.

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The disease is being referred to as encephalitis by the locals, though tests are being conducted. Sources at the Director General of Health Office in Lucknow said that as symptoms of dengue, cerebral malaria and encephalitis are similar, it could not be said that disease was encephalitis. They said samples had been sent to Delhi and results would be known in a day or two.

Medical and Health joint director R. Chandra said necessary steps had been initiated to check the spread of disease and action would be taken against those not sending timely information to the state government in this regard. Reports from Meerut said two children have died in Baghpat district reportedly due to encephalitis though blood tests have not been conducted so far.

Meerut chief medical officer S.C. Arora, who is also looking after Baghpat district, said teams of doctors have been sent to Baghpat and Khekhra for blood tests of kids suffering from fever.