Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said that eight additional Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances have been deployed to transport Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) patients in the affected districts of Bihar. He added that the government officials have also started house-to-house active case finding campaign in order to check the outbreak of deadly viral disease. "8 additional Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances deployed to transport AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome)/JE (Japanese Encephalitis) patients in the affected districts. House to house active case finding campaign started," Harsh Vardhan was quoted as saying by ANI.



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It is to be noted that the AES has claimed the lives of over 140 children in Bihar, with over 100 children losing their lives at Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur alone. The Union Health Minister said that a team of experts from Indian Council of Medical Research has been deployed at SKMCH hospital in order to make the virology lab operational as soon as possible. Harsh Vardhan noted that multi-disciplinary team deployed earlier in Muzaffarpur is reviewing all the case records of AES patients, who were admitted and treated since the outbreak of deadly disease this year.


"ICMR team of experts has been deployed at SKMCH hospital, Muzaffarpur for making the virology lab operational at the earliest. Multi-disciplinary team deployed earlier is reviewing all the case records of AES patients, admitted and treated in 2019," said Harsh Vardhan.



It may be recalled that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday visited SKMCH and gave directions to convert the government-run hospital into a 2500-bed facility. Kumar also issued orders saying 1500 new beds for the hospital should be arranged immediately and a 'dharmshala' should be build for the relatives and families of the those who are admitted in SKMCH.


Earlier on Thursday, RJD leader Misa Bharti said that no leader from her party will attend the dinner called by Prime Minister today because of deaths of children in Muzaffarpur due to AES. Misa said that medicines and equipment can be bought from the money which the government is going to spent in organising this dinner for parliamentarians.


Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.