Assam reports 44 dead due to Japanese Encephalitis

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) which is a mosquito-borne disease is proving fatal in the state of Assam as it has claimed 44 lives across the state so far, according to the state branch of the National Health Mission (NHM). 

Three people died in the last 24 hours in the state - two in Nagaon district and one in Chirang district. Japanese Encephalitis has become more critical in Assam post floods. 

According tothe NHM data, eight new cases of Japanese Encephalitis have also been detected in the state over the last 24 hours - three in Nagaon, two in Tinsukia and one each in Chirang, Jorhat and Kamrup districts. 

A total of 274 cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been detected in the state this year. 

Earlier, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta has instructed the Health officials to develop the district civil hospitals into designated hospitals for Japanese Encephalitis and malaria treatment in districts without medical colleges. The minister said this at an emergency JE review meeting at NHM office. NHM and Health officials attended the meeting. The minister asked doctors and other hospital staff to remain alert. These designated hospitals will treat patients with suspected JE and malaria.
660 people died in Assam due to JE during the period from 2015 to 2021, according to the data of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of India.

A total of 135 people died of Japanese Encephalitis in Assam in 2015, while 92 people died in 2016, 87 in 2017, 94 in 2018, 161 in 2019, 51 in 2020 and 40 in 2021.

Several districts of Assam, including Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Hojai, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri have been affected by the outbreak of the disease.