The death toll due to suspected Japanese encephalitis on Thursday rose to 93 as Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeshwar visited the affected district and ordered a vaccination campaign to curb spread of the disease.

A total of 93 people, mostly children, have died from suspected Japanese encephalitis or brain fever so far, BRD Medical College Principal Saudan Singh said.

• 79 children die of suspected brain fever

The governor visited two wards of the hospital, where about 130 people suffering from the desease were being treated, and instructed that arrangements be made to accomodate as many patients as possible.

Rajeshwar also met district administration and health officials and asked them to launch a vaccination programme to curb the spread of disease.

A Uttar Pradesh Health Department team from Lucknow also visited the hospital. The governor however expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the hospital authorities.

On Wednesday the officials had stated the death figure as 79. A 'technical fault' in collecting data was the reason behind the confusion, Singh said.

Children from Gorakhpur and Basti divisions and neighbouring Bihar and Nepal have been admitted in Gorakhpur.

Pigs are believed to be the main carriers of the encephalitis virus, which is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. The people have been advised to use mosquito nets and to take other measures to destroy the parasites.