Situation grave in Assam
GUWAHATI: Meghalaya continues to remain on alert against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) with the disease now taking an alarming turn in neighbouring Assam.
As of now though, no positive case of the disease has been reported in Meghalaya. Seventeen patients were tested in West Garo Hills last month.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Wednesday, state health minister, A.L. Hek said an alert has been sounded and all possible preventive measures were being taken against Japanese Encephalitis.
“The situation as of today is that there is not a single positive case of the disease in Meghalaya. State and central health teams had assessed the situation in West Garo Hills and all measures have been taken to prevent the outbreak of the disease,” Hek said.
The state government had decided to opt for vaccination of people as a preventive measure.
Assam toll rising
Meanwhile in Assam, at least 30 Japanese Encephalitis deaths have been reported so far from nine districts while over 50 have affected by Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) have lost their lives.
“Besides, over 110 positive cases of JE and over 400 positive cases of AES have been reported in the state so far since January this year,” Umesh Phangso, state programme officer of National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme, told The Shillong Times on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the state government with support from the Centre has taken up certain measures including intensive fogging, routine JE vaccination, community awareness meetings, et al, to contain the outbreak of JE.
“We are strengthening the laboratories with diagnostic facilities and deploying ambulances for prompt transportation of patients. For treatment, patients have been admitted across the six medical college hospitals and three district hospitals in the state,” Phangso said.
He said the state government was monitoring the situation closely with support from the central government.
A central team was here recently for discussions with health officials.
“We have submitted a proposal to the Centre for adult vaccination in 20 districts of Assam,” he said.
According to official figures, in Assam as many as 134 people died of the disease in 2013, 165 in 2014, 135 in 2015, 92 in 2016, 87 in 2017 and 94 in 2018.