Japanese Encephalitis Outbreak: Center to Send a Team of Health Experts to Assam

All districts of the state have been covered under the child vaccination campaign (one to 15 years) and 12 districts under the adult vaccination campaign.

In the wake of the Japanese encephalitis outbreak in Assam, the union health ministry has decided to send a team of health experts to the state to assist and advise health authorities to deal with the outbreak.

Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda held a review meeting of ministry officials over the issue and directed the director general of health services to immediately rush a team of experts to Assam to assist and advise the state health authorities in clinical management of the cases, according to an official statement.

What You Should Know about Japanese Encephalitis - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito borne viral disease associated with inflammation of the brain.

"All the necessary assistance is being provided to the state of Assam to handle this outbreak effectively," said Nadda.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and whatever additional help is required would be provided with immediate effect."

According to Nadda, ministry officials were in regular touch with the state health authorities.

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Thirty-four cases have been reported in Jorhat, Assam since the first case of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) was reported in January 2015, in India.

"Sufficient number of testing kits have already been provided to the state," he said.

The additional director of the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program is camping in Assam since July 22.

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More than 200 cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported in Assam, India. And the highest number of cases are from Sivasagar district.

According to the statement, the ministry has already sanctioned funds for establishment of three pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in district hospitals in Sivasagar, Golaghat and Lakhimpur and the health minister has advised the state government to operate these ICUs immediately.

In all, 365 Japanese encephalitis positive cases and 66 deaths have been reported from Assam so far this year.

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Three children, aged 10 to 12 years, died and five others fell sick after being administered the vaccine in different areas of western Tripura.

More deaths have been reported from the upper Assam districts of Sivasagar (9), Dibrugarh (7), Jorhat (7) and Golaghat (4).

During the review meeting, it was also learnt that the majority of the victims were adults.

Twelve districts of Assam, including Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Golaghat have been covered under the adult vaccination campaign.

All the districts of the state have also been covered under the child (one to 15 years) vaccination campaign and routine immunization program.

Source-IANS