GUWAHATI, June 19: National Health Mission (NHM), Assam has informed that 35 Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases have been reported in Assam till June 17, of which seven deaths have been verified to be related to JE.
NHM also issued a clarification regarding reports of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases in the state, stating that the two conditions are different clinical entities.
“It has come to the notice of NHM Assam that certain media reports have presented figures relating to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) without adequate distinction between the two conditions,” NHM (Assam) executive director Abhijit Sarma stated.
“In this regard, it is clarified that Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) are two different clinical entities. While JE is one of the causes of AES, all AES cases are not JE cases,” Sarma stated.
“As per the data available with the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC), Assam, up to June 17, 2026, a total of 35 Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases has been reported in the state, out of which seven deaths have been verified as due to JE,” the NHM official stated.
“On the other hand, the figures of 470 cases and 32 deaths pertain to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and should not be construed as JE cases or JE-related deaths,” he clarified.
“The Government of Assam has been proactively undertaking extensive preparedness measures for the AES-JE season, which generally extends from June to August every year. Since February 2026, multiple initiatives have been implemented to strengthen surveillance, case management, hospital preparedness, vaccination activities, and inter-departmental coordination across the State,” the NHM official stated.
These include identification and training of nodal medical officers, deployment of district coordinators, dissemination of guidelines and SOPs, strengthening of referral mechanisms. ensuring availability of essential medicines, and expansion of JE vaccination coverage.
“The NHM Assam requests all media organisations and stakeholders to report AES and JE data separately and accurately in the interest of public awareness and to avoid any misunderstanding regarding the disease situation in the state,” he stated.
