Encephalitis claims 50 lives in Bengal

With the death of two more persons on Wednesday, the number of patients died of encephalitis has risen to 50 since January this year in the North Bengal Medical College.

Of the 50 deaths, 30 died in July only, a hospital official said adding that 16 patients suffering from encephalitis were now being treated in different wards of the hospital. Meanwhile, a four-member central team visited the hospital this afternoon to take stock of the situation arising out of encephalitis deaths.

The team leader Dr Kuljit Singh Anand admitted that there was shortfall of encephalitis vaccines in the hospital and said they would submit a report to the Union Health ministry. The team would urge the Centre to send adequate vaccines to the state.

Earlier last week, North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb had said that the central government distributed encephalitis vaccines among the states. The Centre had already been informed through the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the paucity of vaccines in the state, he said.