Lucknow, September 8:

The death toll from an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in northern India reached nearly 600, officials said today, as another 53 people died overnight. Authorities struggled to find money for pesticides that could stop the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

Hospitals in India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh, are struggling to cope with the influx of patients suffering from the disease. Another 123 people were hospitalised in state-run institutions overnight, bringing the total number of reported infections to 2,400, hundreds of whom remain in hospitals, said Vijay Shankar Nigam of the state’s health department.

But he said the number of people infected since the outbreak began early in August is likely higher. “We are not keeping track of patients coming to private hospitals,” he said.

With 53 deaths overnight, Nigam said, the overall death toll reached 594. A lack of money is also hampering efforts to stop the disease from spreading. “We do not have money to purchase diesel and pay workers. The situation may improve in three to four days as we have asked for the state government’s help,” said OP Singh, the state’s top health official. Diesel is mixed with insecticides that are sprayed to kill the insects.