Malkangiri: The death toll due to Japanese Encephalitis climbed to 55 today with two more deaths at DHH here on Saturday morning.

The perished have been identified as Rame Madhi(5) of Bajaguda town under Padia block and Saila Madkami (1) of Girakonda town under Korakonda block here in the region.

According to medicals sources, 40 children afflicted with the vector-borne disease are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital and six of them are in the ICU.

With the two more deaths, the toll due to the deadly disease climbed to 55 in last 37 days.