The death toll due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in eastern Uttar Pradesh has now reached 154 with three children succumbing to the killer virus on Wednesday night.

The three children died at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur where they had been admitted for treatment. A total of 663 encephalitis patients were admitted to different government hospitals of Gorakhpur and Basti districts in 2012 of which 154 died, said additional director, health, of Gorakhpur division, Diwakar Prasad.