Kamrup worst hit by Japanese Encephalitis, toll increases to 64

GUWAHATI: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has spread to almost all of Assam with 64 deaths already confirmed. Tuesday itself witnessed seven more deaths. Sources in the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, also said that 31 suspected JE cases in the state have been confirmed to be positive taking the total total number of JE positive cases in Assam since January to 234.

Although the number of cases remain lower when compared to the figures of the previous two weeks, the government remains concerned as most of the deaths have been reported from rural areas.

"Kamrup district has been the worst affected by JE this time. While two deaths have been reported from Kamrup on Tuesday, two others have lost their lives in Golaghat in the past 24 hours. On the other hand, one death has been reported each from Barpeta, Dibrugarh and Kamrup (Metropolitan) district," a health official said.

NHM officials said that if patients are brought directly to the doctors, the chances of saving their lives increases. The practice of people taking the patients to quacks needs to be controlled. "Apparently, the impact JE is more in lower Assam this year. Most of the areas from where the JE cases have been reported were not vaccinated, as many people in Assam are still not keen to join the JE vaccination drives carried out by the government before monsoon every year," R Bhuyan, the director of state health services, said.

The state government has also ensured that the treatment and diagnostic cost at the medical colleges and district hospitals are being borne by the government.