Scientists have officially stated that the recent deaths of several Indian children are not connected with eating litchis, according to Indian local press.

Over the last few days various India media outlets have carried a series of news articles concerning the deaths of young children in regions of West Bengal. There had been suggestions that the deaths were linked to litchis.

However, yesterday The Times of India reported comments made by the director of a national research center for litchis who has denied any link between the fruit and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

Two of the biggest litchi growers have also separately denied any such link, the publication reported.

"The DM (District Magistrate) said scientists of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have unanimously ruled out that AES has been caused by litchi virus," the story reported.

"Other experts doing research of AES have not linked AES with litchi any way so far.

"AES seems to be a seasonal disease and it is a coincidence that both AES and litchi harvesting occur almost at the same time. But no scientist has so far established that the disease is caused by litchi, he stressed."

Meanwhile, fears surrounding the fruit are believed to be the cause for a slump in sales.

In another report yesterday, International Business Times India said that 'fears of virus and pest in the food has perturbed the people and forced them to choose other fruits to appease their palate, leading to a loss in the litchi market'.

It went on to to explain how several municipalities under the Darjeeling district government had banned litchi sales as a precautionary measure.

At the time of writing, the total death toll from the AES outbreak stood at 81.

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