Assam: Japanese Encephalitis cases increase in several districts of state
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The incidence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases is going up in the state even as the floods are receding. Generally, JE cases reach their peak during July and August. Around 190 JE cases have been reported so far, along with eight deaths from the disease.
This year, it has been noticed that the number of JE cases in upper Assam is higher than that in lower Assam. The number of cases is increasing in districts like Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Tinsukia, Charaideo, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji, as well as in Kamrup (Metro), etc.
Since April, 24 JE patients have been admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), of which 11 are under treatment and the rest have been released. According to Health Department sources, JE cases are increasing in some districts, but there is no need for people to panic. Doctors, nurses, and hospital wards have been specially arranged to fight the disease. According to the Vector-borne Diseases Control Programme Centre, in the last six years, a total of 487 people have died of JE. In 2018, there were 94 deaths, 2019: 161, 2020: 51, 2021: 40, 2022: 96, and in 2023: 34 perished from the disease.
According to doctors, JE is a virus spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. It is more common in agricultural areas. The infected mosquito larvae generally thrive in pools of water, such as those in flooded rice fields. Youth and children are commonly at greater risk. WHO says it is fatal for 40% of those who do develop symptoms. The symptoms are sudden headaches, high fevers, neck stiffness, nausea, seizures, disorientation, etc. in general.
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