Bihar: Harvanshpur villagers vacate homes due to fear of AES

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur has so far claimed over 100 children. In the wake of this, people of Harivanshpur village of Vaishali district have left their homes. Most families have shifted their children to other villages after the outbreak of the disease.

Vaishali (Bihar): People of Harivanshpur village of Vaishali district have left their homes due to fear of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). Most families have shifted their children to other villages after the outbreak of the disease.

"My two sons died due to Acute Encephalitis in the matter of an hour. The elder one was 7 years old while the younger one was two years old. There were no awareness campaigns by the administration regarding the disease," father of the deceased children told the media.

The father also criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying "The Chief Minister has done nothing to spread awareness regarding the disease. There are no arrangements in the hospital for children suffering from the disease."

Another man said, "My seven-year-old daughter died. There was no arrangement from the administration regarding the disease."

Reiterating a similar issue, a woman remarked, "I have shifted my two children to another village as it is dangerous here. Other families have also shifted their children."

Showing his anguish, Kedar Prashad Yadav, president of Nari Parishad said that the number of children have died due to the disease but no one from the district administration has come to visit the village.

Meanwhile, the death toll due to AES reached 128 in Bihar on Wednesday according to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).