Japanese encephalitis claimed 12 more lives, mostly children, in Eastern Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The deaths have pushed the death toll since the outbreak of the dreaded disease this summer to 715.

As many as 56 fresh cases were reported, Additional Director (Health) C B M Tripathi said in Gorakhpur, adding that the toll this year was the highest in the past one decade.

'Somebody save my son'

Gorakhpur is the worst-hit, accounting for 152 deaths, followed by Kushinagar 144 and Maharjganj 125.

The disease caused by Arbo virus that is abundant in paddy fields had claimed 1078 lives in 1978.

The central government has despatched fresh consignments of medicines, mosquito nets and spraying machines to check spread of the disease, Tripathi said, adding that a consignment of 75 German-made hand-held spraying machines would soon reach the disease-hit areas.