Japanese Encephalitis Toll 21, Central Team To Review Situation Today

GUWAHATI: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has claimed as many as 21 lives in Assam this year. Apart from this, 69 cases have tested Japanese Encephalitis positive in the State. Gauging the gravity of the situation of the vector-borne disease in the State, a central team is visiting the State. The Central team is to take part at a meeting with top health officials of the State government on Monday.

According to a source in the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), adult vaccination for JE has been stopped in the State since 2016-17. “Of late, we’ve identified as many as ten districts – Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Udalguri and Barpeta – as JE prone, and sent the report to the Central government,” the source said. The source said that the NVBDCP wants resumption of the adult vaccination programme in Assam.

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