Japanese Encephalitis claims 52 lives in Assam

GUWAHATI: Altogether 52 people have died and 318 others have been affected by Japanese Encephalitis this year in Assam with the disease assuming alarming trend during recent months in the state.

Among the worst affected districts are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sibsagar, Golaghat, Dhemaji and Kamrup (Rural) with 52 deaths and 318 others testing positive since January this year, a senior Health department official said today.

The highest number of eight deaths have been reported from Sibsagar followed by six each in Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts and five in Nalbari since last month.

He said in some districts, cases of acute encephalitis have also been included leading to inflated data but these were not cases of Japanese Encephalitis.

Tinsukia has the highest of 29 positive cases followed by Dibrugarh with 28, Golaghat with 24, Dhemaji with with 22, Kamrup (Rural) with 21, Barpeta with 17 and Darrang and Cachar with 15 each, he said.

The state Health department has taken measures to check the disease. The steps include reserving five to six beds in each district hospital and five beds in the medical colleges for the affected patients.

All districts have been directed to ensure proper investigations and treatment with diagnostic kits provided to the hospitals, the official said.

Adequate medicines are available, while awareness meetings are being held in all the districts and medicated mosquito nets are being provided in the rural areas. Regular fogging is being carried out under the prescribed guidelines.

The Health department has deputed teams to review the facilities available and a two-member central team was visiting some of the affected districts to assess the situation, he added.