Assam Encephalitis Outbreak: 49 Deaths So Far, Emergency Sounded in State

Guwahati, July 6: A total of 49 deaths — out of 190 positive cases — have been reported due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Assam till Friday. The Assam government on Saturday initiated various emergency measures to control the outbreak of the disease. According to reports, all the districts, except Kokrajhar, were currently under the influence of the disease. After Bihar, Encephalitis Outbreak in Assam, 12 People Die Due to AES.

State Health Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma in a press conference said, “The state government has made arrangements for free transportation of suspected fever cases from the community to the district hospital, while reserving beds for JE and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in intensive care units and wards.” Biswas further added that the government will also bear the cost of diagnosis and treatment of patients. Encephalitis in Bihar: Death Toll Due to AES Jumps to 131 in Muzaffarpur.

The health minister stated that on an average, nearly 100 deaths due to JE are reported across the state annually. According to reports, all the cost of treatment of patients suffering from JE and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) will be paid by the state government. In addition to this, Patients using their own transport to reach the hospital will also be given Rs 1,000.

A dedicated help desk will be set up in all medical colleges to ensure faster service delivery, he asserted. Due to heavy heavy rainfall, large paddy fields with big water bodies, pig farming and domestic pig rearing, Assam is an ecologically favourable region for the spread of the disease.

(With inputs from PTI)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2019 04:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).