A doctor attends to a child at ANMCH in Gaya on Wednesday. Picture by Suman

Gaya, June 6: A two-member team of the Union health ministry visited Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) today and ruled out Japanese encephalitis as the cause of the death of nine children at the health hub since May 30.

The experts, however, did not rule out that acute encephalitis syndrome could be the cause of death.

Since May 30, 14 children have been admitted to ANMCH. Besides the nine who died, two were cured and released. Three children are still undergoing treatment.

The two members of the team — Dr Kailash Kumar, senior regional director, Union health department, and Dr Ravishankar Singh — conducted the inspection. They also met the children and their parents. Gaya civil surgeon Dilip Kumar informed the visiting experts preparation had been made at primary health centres across the district to fight against suspected encephalitis.

State health department secretary (family welfare) Ashish Kumar also visited ANMCH today.

He said a branch of National Institute of Virology, Pune, would be set up at the health hub to ensure quick pathological test.