TURA: The first reported case of death from symptoms of the Japanese Encephalitis disease has occurred in Edenbari locality of Tura on Wednesday morning.
The young man of 28 years, Jobath A Sangma, who was treated at Tura Christian Hospital and had been discharged on the request of his family passed away at his home in the wee hours of July 24th.
This is the first death from the disease in Garo Hills and it has taken place barely two months after a suspected outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis in which over a dozen cases were reported from various parts of Garo Hills.The highest number of suspected JE cases were reported from in and around Tura but a specialist central medical team dispatched to the region had, at that point of time, dismissed the reports of any JE outbreak.
The Edenbari victim was admitted to the Tura Christian Hospital male medical Ward on July 19th. The hospital diagnosis report mentioned, “Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) JE Serology Positive” and the clinical presentation report stated that the patient had “high grade fever for last five days with one episode of seizure present”.
According to family members of the victim, they decided to move for Jobath’s discharge after failing to find any improvement to his condition. He was brought home on Tuesday morning but passed away the next day.The young victim had, just a year back, joined the Rongara Development Block in South Garo Hills as a Coordinator for the National Rural Livelihood Mission.A month ago, while at work, he began experiencing bouts of fever and was treated at Baghmara civil hospital before his admission in the Tura hospital and tragic demise, distraught family members recall.