According to officials, 12 kids have died of a mysterious illness in Bihar's Muzaffarpur region after they complained of symptoms like high fever and convulsion.

Mr. A. P. Singh, civil surgeon said, "A total of 12 children have died over the past few days. In the last 48 hours, four children have died of the mysterious disease. Dozens of children have been admitted to different hospitals for treatment."

The district government has sounded a high alert to check the spread of the strange illness.

The kids reported high fever accompanied by bouts of unconsciousness and convulsion that resulted in their death.

Local residents named the mysterious disease as 'Chamki ki Bimari' and claimed that the symptoms tally with encephalitis.

"We cannot say anything exactly about the mysterious disease. It is difficult to say that children died of encephalitis. A medical team has been formed to examine the mysterious disease," Mr. Singh added.

Official sources in the state health department stated that there was no arrangement to identify encephalitis in Bihar. (With Inputs from Agencies)