Enteroviruses are a common cause of childhood infections, from hand, foot and mouth disease, to lethal brainstem encephalitis. Enterovirus 71 was first isolated in 1969. Brainstem encephalomyelitis and pulmonary oedema are postulated to be causally related and have been found to be a common feature of fatal enterovirus 71 cases. A fatal case of enterovirus 71 infection in a 2-year-old, previously healthy boy is reported. He presented to the Department of Paediatrics with clinical features of sepsis within 3 days of onset of fever. A few minutes after injection of midazolam, fentanyl and vecuronium for intubation, cardiac arrest developed and was not amenable to various treatment modalities. Pulmonary haemorrhage and oedema were noted during intubation, and postmortem examination confirmed the presence of brainstem encephalomyelitis.