AlQa'dah 18, 1433, Oct 4, 2012, SPA -- At least 390 people, mostly children, have died in an outbreak of encephalitis in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, dpa quoted officials as saying Thursday. Health authorities said 2,511 patients were admitted to government hospitals in and around the eastern district of Gorakhpur, the epicentre of the outbreak. The initial cases were reported in January but the outbreak began when the monsoon season started in June, doctors said. "A total of 390 people, mostly children, have died due to the virus, and over 200 are still admitted in various hospitals," state health services additional director Diwakar Prasad said by phone. Encephalitis is a brain inflammation, generally caused by a viral infection. The risk of the disease increases during and after the rainy season, which last roughly from June to October.