Encephalitis grips Gorakhpur once again

Gorakhpur, July 29 : Encephalitis a fatal disease, which causes the inflammation of the brain, has taken 88 lives in Gorakhpur.

In the past few months, almost 372 patients have been admitted in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Hospital out of which 88 have lost their lives because of this dreadful disease.

Most of the patients fall in the age group of six months to 12 years. The patients admitted in the hospital are mostly virus infected.

"Presently, the cases that are coming in Gorakhpur are mostly virus infected cases. The most common viruses are enterovirus and coxsackievirus. The symptoms are almost same, but the disease is fatal which leaves person paralysed even if cured. Near about ten per cent kids infected by this disease are mentally or physically crippled," said Sunil Kumar Arya, a doctor of the BRD Hospital.

The symptoms are very common and the residents fail to recognise the fact that a mild fever can prove fatal.

"My child had fever initially, then he started vomiting then there was swelling. Now, the condition is better, but the fever is coming frequently," said Amina Nisha, a patient's mother.

According to patients, almost four to five children loose their life due to this deadly disease.

"Daily eight to ten kids are infected with brain fever are coming here and daily four to five kids are losing their lives," said Raj Kumar, a patient's father.

This disease is almost endemic to the region and immediate measures are required to restrain the spread of the infection any further.

Encephalitis is commonly known as brain fever, Japanese encephalitis virus causes the disease, the virus is transmitted to humans by Culicine mosquitoes.

ANI