At least 57 people admitted at Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district hospital have died in four days as mercury rose above 44 degree Celsius mark. Subsequently, the officials said a committee of the health department from Lucknow has reached the affected district to ascertain the cause of death.

The deaths come amid the heatwave conditions in the region. However, Ballia Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jayant Kumar said only two people have died due to heat stroke in the district till Sunday. The two-member committee comprising Director (Communicable Diseases) Dr A K Singh and Director (Medical Care) K N Tiwari, which on Sunday inspected the wards at the Ballia district hospital, also ruled out severe heat as the main reason behind the rise in the deaths of elderly patients in the district.