Guwahati: Japanese encephalitis in Assam this season poses a greater hazard due to the 16 fatalities recorded in June.
Number of fatalities from Japanese encephalitis rose to 16 on Wednesday, July 13, with the addition of three more cases. Two deaths were recorded from Karimganj and one from Sivasagar, according to the National Health Mission, Assam bulletin published on Wednesday night.
Moreover, yesterday saw the confirmation of six more JE cases in the state, bringing the total since July 1 to 121. According to health department authorities, the month of July is the most common season for JE cases in Assam and the extensive flooding has turned most of rural Assam into a rich breeding ground for Culex Vishnui mosquitoes.
A review meeting on the JE and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) situation in Assam was held at the NHM Assam headquarters on Wednesday under the chairmanship of state health minister Keshab Mahanta in the presence of principal secretary of the health department, Avinash Joshi, MS Lakshmi Priya, mission director, NHM Assam, Anup Kumar Barman, director of medical education and other senior officials of the health department. Mahanta is scheduled to have a detailed district wise review on Thursday.
According to sources at the health department, the discussion focused on early diagnosis of suspected JE cases and treatment along JE lines even before confirmation. “The district hospitals with ICU are being told to reserve beds for JE patients,” the source said.
According to health officials, JE primarily affects rural communities that are still under water and close to paddy fields where pig farming is rife. “Pig is the amplifying host of the JE virus, while wild birds are considered the reservoir host for the virus,” an official said.