Encephalitis claims 46 lives in UP

Uttar Pradesh has turned a victim of encephalitis with, as many as 43 children and three adults who have been affected in the past three weeks. A report of 9 casualties has created a sense of fear among the public.

The bulk of the rush is from rural pockets around Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar and Deoria, besides villages along the marshy Indo-Nepal border. Two special wards have been created to meet the demand and handle patients. and everything is under control

Although the health officials have issued a declaration stating that the situation is well under control, the killer virus is likely to take a higher toll in the coming days as over 150 patients are struggling for survival.

It has been 27 years since encephalitis was first detected in this region, but no effort has been made by the government to contain it once and for all. The disease starts spreading like wildfire following rains every year in several parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Lack of proper sanitary system, a large number of piggeries and dairies are among the various factors behind the outbreak of the disease that is spread by mosquitoes. Although vaccination is the only solution to tackle the disease, it is taken up only when there is a major outbreak and not as a preventive measure.

Source:(IANS)