FORTY-FOUR people died of Japanese
encephalitis, a viral infection, at the
Assam Medical College Hospital in
Dibrugarh on July 28. The same day
another 68 patients suffering from the
viral disease were admitted to the hospital
that receives patients from across the
state. T R Borborah, principal of the
medical college, confirmed the deaths.
Health officials in Assam said the
disease has taken epidemic form in
Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sibsagar,
Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts and
has infected nearly 1,000 people. The
state health department has put the
death toll at 75, but unofficial reports
say 100 people have died of Japanese
encephalitis in upper Assam. "The situation
is bad, with no specific drugs
available for treating the disease," director
of the state, health department,
Dhruba Hojai, said. "We have alerted
health officials across the state to take
preventive measures to stop Japanese
encephalitis from spreading."
The disease is transmitted from pigs
through mosquitoes and strikes
between April and September. It causes
inflammation of the brain tissue, resulting
in high fever, headache and stiff
neck. On August 25, Assam Health
Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma said
the government will import encephalitis
vaccine from China.
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