Encephalitis peak season in UP a month away,80 already dead

The peak season of encephalitis is considered to be between July and September,when maximum number of cases are reported. As per the state government figures,till June 2,a total of 334 cases of AES have been reported across the state and 80 patients have died. But none of these are confirmed as Japanese Encephalitis cases.

Till June 2011,346 cases of AES,including three of JE,were reported. The number of deaths was 60. By the end of 2011,however,around 3,500 AES cases were reported,with over 550 deaths.

Last year,Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad visited Gorakhpur and promised infrastructural support to BRD Medical College. Four ventilators were sanctioned by the Centre under the NRHM. Former chief minister Mayawati had announced a 100-bed special ward for encephalitis patients at the college,for which Rs 18 crore was released. Campaigns were undertaken to create awareness about hygiene,safe drinking water and prevention of encephalitis.

“Cases are slightly more than last year. Deaths have also increased,” said Dr Ramji Lal,Director General,Medical and Health. He said since AES is a water-borne disease,the only prevention is providing safe drinking water. “We have moved a proposal to arrange for clean drinking water in AES-affected areas. We have trained officials in these areas to create awareness about safe drinking water and rushing AES patients to nearest CHC-PHC at the earliest,” said Lal,adding that if the measures being taken now are successful,AES cases may be controlled during the peak season.

The number of cases of JE,on the other hand,are under control,for which experts credit a special vaccination drive in 2010.

“The response of the vaccine is up to 80 per cent and if the routine immunisation for JE is continued,it can be well controlled this year,” said Dr M M Gore,in-charge of the Gorakhpur unit of National Institute of Virology.

‘Mysterious illness’ kills 20 children in Bihar

Bihar Health Department on Tuesday said 20 children have died over the last two weeks and 36 are undergoing treatment for a “mysterious” illness — its symptoms include convulsions and high fever — in Gaya and Muzaffarpur districts. Health officials ruled out the possibility of the illness being encephalitis.