Guwahati, 13th August: Amidst the concerning surge in Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, a tragic incident occurred as a school student from the Udalguri district succumbed to the vector-borne disease in Guwahati on Sunday.
The student, identified as Bibika Daimary, was receiving treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) when she tragically passed away. Bibika, a seventh-grade student of North East Public School in Majbat, hailed from Kadabil Village.
In a recent report by the National Health Mission (NHM) Assam, it was highlighted that the state has made commendable progress in combating JE. The report indicated a significant decrease in JE-related deaths this year compared to the same period last year, thanks to the effective implementation of measures for JE management.
According to NHM Assam data, this year has seen approximately 362 recorded cases of JE with 19 deaths until August 11, 2023, leading to a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 5.25%. In contrast, the figures for the same period last year were approximately 358 cases and 70 deaths, resulting in a CFR of around 19.6%.
As of August 11, 2023, Assam reported 12 new positive JE cases, marking a decrease from the previous day’s count of 17 cases.