12 children die of mysterious disease in Bihar

Twelve children have died of a mysterious disease in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district after they complained of high fever and convulsion, officials said Wednesday.

"A total of 12 children have died over the past few days. In the last 48 hours, four children have died of the mysterious disease. Dozens of children have been admitted to different hospitals for treatment," civil surgeon A.P. Singh told IANS on phone from Muzaffarpur, about 70 km from here.

The district administration has sounded a high alert to check the spread of the disease.

The children reported high fever followed by bouts of unconsciousness and convulsion leading to their death.

Local people termed the mysterious disease as 'Chamki ki Bimari' and claimed that the symptoms tally with encephalitis.

"We cannot say anything exactly about the mysterious disease. It is difficult to say that children died of encephalitis. A medical team has been formed to examine the mysterious disease," Singh said.

Official sources in the state health department here said there was no facility to identify encephalitis in Bihar.