Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will visit Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh to enquire about efforts to control the killer Japanese Encephalitis virus that has already taken at least 450 lives in the state.
"He (Azad) will leave for Gorakhpur today (Thursday) with a health ministry team and will be back Friday," a health ministry official told IANS.
According to Congress sources, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi had requested Ghulam to visit the area.
Over 3,000 children have died of the viral disease since 2006 in the state.
Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday convened a meeting to take stock of the situation.
