Forty-eight people have died in Assam due to Japanese Encephalitis, officials said on Thursday. “The JE cases reported are 159 and JE death cases are 48 as on July 4,” said a bulletin from the office of JVN Subramanyam, director, National Health Mission, Assam. To prevent and contain the outbreak, state government officials have set up a round-the-clock control centre, begun supplying diagnostic kits to all districts hospitals, and started fogging in villages. Moreover, the wetlands, stagnant water in paddy fields breeding mosquitoes and high population of pigs and water birds like herons together make Assam prone to JE. In 2018 there were 509 cases and 94 deaths in Assam due to JE.

Source: Hindustan Times July 04, 2019 16:52 UTC