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Rachel V Thomas

Mystery Illness In Rajasthan Suspected To Be Viral Encephalitis: 2 More Children Dead

Two more children from Rajasthan's Salumbar district have fallen victim to the mysterious illness that officials now suspect to be viral <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/encephalitis">encephalitis</a>.

Since April 1, six children have died, including Deepak Meena (4), Seema (4), a one-year-old unidentified girl from Simor village, Laxman Meena (4), Kajal Meena (2), and Rahul Meena (4), within one or two hours of showing similar symptoms. 

According to health department officials, Raunak Ved (4) and Divyansh (2) were taken to a hospital on Wednesday evening after they developed high fever and vomiting. 

“Soon after reaching the hospital, the doctor declared both of them dead. Although their symptoms were quite similar to those of the previous six cases, there were some differences in the pattern. It could be some different health issue, but we have yet to ascertain that. We have collected their samples and sent them for testing,” Salumber’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Mahendra Parmar, said. 

With the additional cases, the death toll has gone up to 7 toddlers in Ghata and Lalpura villages. 

Speaking to the media, Salumber’s district collector, Muhammed Junaid, said that two teams from the health department have been monitoring the situation constantly for the last few days.

“They have collected blood, stool, and saliva samples from children with suspected symptoms. Their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. We suspect it could be a kind of viral encephalitis, but we are yet to get the test report from NIV,” Junaid said.

All children reportedly experienced a sudden onset of fever that worsens rapidly, and claimed the lives of children within 24 hours.

The Health officials noted that at least 85 children were hospitalized with similar symptoms. 

“The survey was conducted in 120,961 houses across the Udaipur division, during which over 940 children were found with similar symptoms. At least 75 of them were taken to a hospital. Anti-larval activity has also been carried out in 5,532 places after medical teams suspected viral encephalitis,” Junaid said.

Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain, caused by viral or bacterial infections, or by immune cells mistakenly attacking the brain. 

People with encephalitis often show mild flu-like symptoms such as 

<ul><li>fever, </li><li>fatigue, </li><li>headache, </li><li>body aches, </li><li>confusion, </li><li>seizures, </li><li>changes in behavior or personality. </li></ul>

There are three main types of encephalitis: 

<ul><li>Viral or Infectious Encephalitis: It is the most common type of encephalitis that is caused by various viruses, including the West Nile virus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, or varicella zoster virus. An individual may experience symptoms ranging from mild flu-like illness to severe neurological problems. </li></ul>

<ul><li>Autoimmune Encephalitis: This is a rare condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the brain cells due to a tumour or infection. While symptoms can vary widely, signs may include cognitive impairment, behavioural changes, and seizures. </li></ul>

<ul><li>Bacterial or Fungal Encephalitis: While this type of encephalitis is less common, it can be life-threatening, especially for individuals with compromised immune systems. It may occur due to a complication caused by some other infections, such as meningitis. Symptoms can include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, and seizures. </li></ul>The other type of encephalitis includes arbovirus encephalitis, in which fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks spread the encephalitis-causing infection.

The risk of getting encephalitis can be reduced by protecting oneself from mosquito bites and staying up-to-date with vaccinations. 

One must ensure getting vaccinated against mumps, chickenpox, measles, and rubella. The one-and-done vaccination, MMR vaccinations are given to people early in their childhood.

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Two more children from Rajasthan's Salumbar district have fallen victim to the mysterious illness that officials now suspect to be viral encephalitis. Since April 1, six children have died, including Deepak Meena (4), Seema (4), a one-year-old unidentified girl from Simor village, Laxman Meena (4), Kajal Meena (2), and Rahul Meena (4), within one or two hours of showing similar symptoms. According to health department officials, Raunak Ved (4) and Divyansh (2) were taken to a hospital on Wednesday evening after they developed high fever and vomiting.  “Soon after reaching the hospital, the doctor declared both of them dead. Although their symptoms were quite similar to those of the previous six cases, there were some differences in the pattern. It could be some different health issue, but we have yet to ascertain that. We have collected their samples and sent them for testing,” Salumber’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Mahendra Parmar, said. With the additional cases, the death toll has gone up to 7 toddlers in Ghata and Lalpura villages. Speaking to the media, Salumber’s district collector, Muhammed Junaid, said that two teams from the health department have been monitoring the situation constantly for the last few days.  “They have collected blood, stool, and saliva samples from children with suspected symptoms. Their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. We suspect it could be a kind of viral encephalitis, but we are yet to get the test report from NIV,” Junaid said. All children reportedly experienced a sudden onset of fever that worsens rapidly, and claimed the lives of children within 24 hours. The Health officials noted that at least 85 children were hospitalized with similar symptoms. “The survey was conducted in 120,961 houses across the Udaipur division, during which over 940 children were found with similar symptoms. At least 75 of them were taken to a hospital. Anti-larval activity has also been carried out in 5,532 places after medical teams suspected viral encephalitis,” Junaid said.  What Is Encephalitis?  Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain, caused by viral or bacterial infections, or by immune cells mistakenly attacking the brain.  People with encephalitis often show mild flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, body aches, confusion, seizures, changes in behavior or personality.  Types of Encephalitis There are three main types of encephalitis:  Viral or Infectious Encephalitis: It is the most common type of encephalitis that is caused by various viruses, including the West Nile virus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, or varicella zoster virus. An individual may experience symptoms ranging from mild flu-like illness to severe neurological problems.  Autoimmune Encephalitis: This is a rare condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the brain cells due to a tumour or infection. While symptoms can vary widely, signs may include cognitive impairment, behavioural changes, and seizures.  Bacterial or Fungal Encephalitis: While this type of encephalitis is less common, it can be life-threatening, especially for individuals with compromised immune systems. It may occur due to a complication caused by some other infections, such as meningitis. Symptoms can include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, and seizures. The other type of encephalitis includes arbovirus encephalitis, in which fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks spread the encephalitis-causing infection.  How To Prevent? The risk of getting encephalitis can be reduced by protecting oneself from mosquito bites and staying up-to-date with vaccinations. One must ensure getting vaccinated against mumps, chickenpox, measles, and rubella. The one-and-done vaccination, MMR vaccinations are given to people early in their childhood.

mystery illness in rajasthan suspected to be encephalitis: 2 more children dead

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