Encephalitis Claims 180 Lives in 8 Months in Gorakhpur, UP

682 patients were admitted in BRD Medical College this year in a severe outbreak of the disease.

Children and elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the disease. (Photo: YouTube/ANI News Official)

Encephalitis, commonly known as ‘brain fever’, has claimed 180 lives in Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College since January. A total of 682 people had been admitted with the disease, Dr RK Mishra, Pathology Head of the institute, told news agency ANI.

The disease broke out last year as well, but on a smaller scale, in states including Uttar Pradesh, Assam and West Bengal. It’s common in India during the monsoon season, and claim hundreds of lives.

The situation this year is much more severe than last year. The highest number of deaths took place on Tuesday, with ten patients dying, of which eight were children. 

Dr. RK Mishra, Pathology Head, BRD Medical College

The situation in BRD Medical College. (Photo: YouTube/ANI News Official)

Providing clean water to drink is the sole solution to stop this disease, Dr. Mishra told ANI.

Infants and elderly people are particularly vulnerable to Encephalitis. It causes inflammation of the brain and the symptoms include high fever and vomiting, with extreme cases reporting incidents of seizures, paralysis and coma.

(Source: ANI)