Bihar: 43 children below 10 died this month in Muzaffarpur due to AES

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In a shocking revelation, as many as 43 children below the age of 10 years have died at two hospitals in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district this month after being admitted with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

The state government has not cited AES as the cause of death and has instead attributed most of them to hypoglycemia — meaning low blood sugar level. Experts, however, say hypoglycemia is one aspect of AES. A seven-member Central government team is likely to visit the hospitals soon and suggest guidelines.

A top state health official maintained that the casualties were not related to the outbreak but were caused by hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia causes an abnormally low level of sugar in the blood or deficiency of sodium or potassium in the body, the official said. According to a release issued by the Muzaffarpur district administration, two children died at the SKMCH hospital here where a total of 117 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) have been reported since June 1. Out of the reported cases, 36 have died till date, while 24 have been discharged and among those undergoing treatment, six were said to be in a critical condition, it said.

Meanwhile, the state’s Director-in-Chief (disease control) R D Ranjan visited the town, heading a team of Health Department officials sent from the Bihar capital, to take stock of the situation. Talking to reporters, he said, “We can confirm the data as on June 10. Till that date, 34 deaths had taken place and 109 cases of chamki bukhar (brain fever) reported. More data is being updated. None of the deaths, so far, has been caused by AES. The casualties were a result of hypoglycemia – abnormally low level of sugar in the blood or deficiency of sodium and/or potassium – caused by intense heat and humidity.” Since this January, 172 children aged below 10 have been admitted to the two hospitals with AES. Of them, 157 have been admitted since June 1 and all 43 deaths have been reported in June.In a shocking revelation, as many as 43 children below the age of 10 years have died at two hospitals in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district this month after being admitted with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).