Patna, Sep 8 (IANS): The viral fever outbreak in Bihar has worsened with a large number of children admitted to hospitals and are on oxygen support.

Dr Lokesh Tiwari, the pediatrician in Patna AIIMS said: "The children are infected with an unknown virus that causes infection in the lungs. The children are also suffering from bronchitis as well.

"Hence, we have put the majority of the children on oxygen supports," he said.

As per the report, the NICU and PICU wards of all the major hospitals in Bihar are 80 per cent occupied these days and 50 per cent of the children are having infection in lungs and bronchitis problem.

The situation at the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) Muzaffarpur, is alarming. This hospital has 102 beds in the PICU ward and 107 patients are admitted in it. Of these 80 are in the ICU on oxygen support.

A total of 131 patients are admitted in the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and 68 of them are suffering from pneumonia and bronchitis.

There are 87 minor patients in the NICU and PICU wards of the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) Patna, 71 in the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and 45 patients are on oxygen support in Patna AIIMS.

The situation in Bihar's Saran, Gopalganj, Siwan West Champaran is also worsening with more than 400 children suffering from the same disease. Three children have died in the Amnaur block and one in Gopalganj last week.