Six dead, 1,000 afflicted with cerebral malaria in Bihar

Six people have died and at least 1,000 were suffering from cerebral malaria in state of Bihar, news reports said Sunday.

All the victims were residents of Haveli Kharagpur area of Munger district, about 200 kilometres west of state capital Patna.

At least 80 villages in the area had reported cases of cerebral malaria, district health official RN Pandey was quoted as saying.

Local residents said at least 30 people including several children had succumbed to the disease.

"We are taking all measures on war-footing to provide medical care to affected people and spraying DDT in the villages," Munger district civil surgeon KC Singh said.

Cerebral malaria is caused by a type of mosquito bite and can be fatal if not treated in time. The disease, which causes high fever, can affect the brain.

A team of federal health officials are visiting the affected villages to assess the situation.

Senior Bihar health official RN Mishra said malaria was endemic in the hilly area along the border of Bihar and Jharkhand state.

Malaria parasite-carrying mosquitos tend to breed in rainwater that collects in pits and crags in the hill area during the monsoon season.

The region is largely inhabited by poor tribal people and has few hospitals or clinics.link