More Than 500 Affected By Encephalitis In Uttar Pradesh

An whopping 550 people has been affected from an outbreak of encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh, according to reports. In Gorakhpur district, a government hospital confirmed admitting 550 people with encephalitis on Thursday, and also said that it was short of beds.

Brijesh Yadav, a relative of a patient, said that more than one child is being treated on one bed.

According to doctors, the death rate due to encephalitis is 28 to 56 percent. And unfortunately, those who survive may have to endure life as mentally or physically challenged persons.

A senior paediatrician, Doctor K P Kushwaha, said the new symptoms show swellings in the liver, kidney, heart and lungs.

"We have the highest number of patients admitted in one day, which is 550 patients. We have never got such figures in the past. In the current cases of encephalitis, the children not only have swelling in their brains, but their skin, kidney, liver and heart also show swelling. Therefore, all the parts of their bodies are not functioning properly," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jagdambika Pal, who visited the hospital, said he was shocked to see the condition of the children.

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"It is so difficult to believe what we are seeing here that the children in huge number are becoming prey to Japanese encephalitis. The condition here is so bad that one cannot even imagine that it is the worst epidemic. The irony is that there is no cure to AES (acute encephalitis syndrome) in the whole world," he said.

Encephalitis symptoms include headache, fever, convulsions, drowsiness, fatigue and the inflammation of the brain.

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Source-ANI