District Civil Surgeon K.C. Singh said authorities are doing everything to control and check the spread of the disease. 'We are taking all measures on war footing to provide medical care to affected people and spraying DDT in the villages,' he said.

Munger district health official B. Sahu said more than 500 people had tested positive for cerebral malaria.

A team of central health officials from New Delhi also visited the affected villages Friday to assess the situation.

The state government has directed the concerned officials to take necessary measures for treatment of patients and to check its spread.