11 Deaths Caused Due To Japanese Encephalitis In Assam This Year

In a serious concerning outbreak, the vector-borne disease Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has claimed eleven lives in Assam this year so far, according to the officials. 

According to the state Health Department, a total of 254 people across the state have been infected with the disease.

Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta told ANI that the state Health Department has taken all preventive measures across the state.

"11 people have died due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the state this year so far and 254 people have been infected. We have taken all preventive measures. We have instructed all government hospitals to provide free treatment of the patient who is infected with the disease. If any patient has gone to the private hospital for treatment, we have given them Rs 1 lakh," Keshab Mahanta said.

On the other hand, two people died in Biswanath Sub-Division in Sonitpur district due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) this year so far and 22 people have been infected.

Dr Eliza Deka, the Health Officer of Biswanath said that two persons infected with the disease died in the last three months.

"22 people have been infected in Biswanath due to JE/AES this year so far. In June only one patient was found JE positive. In July, 12 people were infected due to JE and in this month four more people have been infected. In the last three months, 17 people have been infected due to JE. Out of them two patients died and one death case is yet to audit," Dr Eliza Deka said.

According to the data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in the last five years from 2018 to 2022, a total of 442 people died due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Assam and during the period the country accounts for 730 death cases.

In Assam, the vector-borne disease Japanese Encephalitis (JE) claimed 94 lives in 2018, 161 in 2019, 51 in 2020, 40 in 2021 and 96 in 2022.

During the period, a total of 2145 JE cases were recorded in Assam.

According to the World Health Organisation, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes.

JEV is the main cause of viral encephalitis in many countries of Asia with an estimated 68 000 clinical cases every year. Although symptomatic Japanese encephalitis (JE) is rare, the case-fatality rate among those with encephalitis can be as high as 30 per cent.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)