The menace of encephalitis continues unabated in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, as three more children succumbed to the disease at the BRD Medical College Hospital, official sources said here today.

With these, the toll has reached 640 this year.

Sources in the office of Additional Director (Health) said all the three deaths occurred at the BRD Medical College hospital here.

The deceased were from Gorakhpur, Kushinagar and an adjacent area in Bihar, they said. This year, as many as 3,008 Encephalitis patients were admitted to different Government hospitals of eastern region, of which 640 have died.

Physical disabilities

The disease causes death in 33 per cent cases, while over 50 per cent patients suffer from various forms of mental and physical disabilities, they said.

The disease is caused due to mosquito bite or consumption of contaminated water. Central and State agencies are continuously conducting awareness campaigns on sanitation and safe drinking water.

Three rounds of vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) for children up to 15 years have also been conducted, the official said; the move has made JE cases come down to 15 per cent.

Another form of Encephalitis is caused due to contaminated water which still prevails in the region, and has caused over 85 per cent deaths, they said.

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