Over 100 Deaths In Bihar Alerts Odisha As It Orders Lychee Testing To Avoid Encephalitis Cases

Encephalitis apparently caused by lychee, has claimed lives of over 126 children in Bihar until now, a majority from the Muzaffarpur area. The after-effects of this has now spread across different cities as Odisha government has ordered laboratory test of lychee fruit being sold in the markets in the state.

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The government’s action came following reports that lychee consumption was one of the factors behind the spread of AES. Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district was one of the lychee growing areas in the state where over 100 children had died so far due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).