Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has taken one youth life in Hailakandi ; fogging programme by Rotary Club of Silchar and District Health Department
SILCHAR/ITANAGAR: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has taken one more life in Hailakandi district on Tuesday. The deceased, identified as Montu Das of Tempur village, was undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College and Hospital for a week. With this, two people have lost their lives from the area this year. Health authorities said that 4 JE cases and 14 Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) cases have been detected in the district so far. At least 48,522 fever cases have been screened so far in Silchar and 17,355 mosquito nets placed. Fogging operations have been undertaken in vulnerable villages. DVB consultants, MTS, SW and MPW functionaries are visiting different parts of the district to keep the virus under check. Awareness campaigns are also being carried out across the district to alert the people of the situation. Meanwhile, 15 more JE cases were reported in East Siang district on Wednesday, the total number of patients infected with the vector borne disease in the state has gone up to 26, director of health services, M Lego, said.
It is in this backdrop that Rotary Club of Silchar and District Health Department in association with Cachar District Administration has undertaken fogging programme at Silchar town and its outskirts. The step has been taken to eradicate the mosquitoes responsible for spreading Japanese Encephalitis. On Thursday evening, the fogging programme was inaugurated by Laya Madduri, Deputy Commissioner, Cachar in her office premises in presence of the Health department officials and office bearers of Rotary. While speaking during the occasion, Dr. Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, President of Rotary Club of Silchar said, “In order to prevent the outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis, this fogging programme has been started today. We would request the public to close their doors & windows and keep food covered during fogging in their locality.”
Of the 26 cases, East Siang has reported 20 while, three cases have been reported from Papum Pare district including one each from Upper Subansiri, Kra Daadi and Lohit district. However, no casualties have been reported from any district in the state so far. Lego said that an expert team from the health department has visited Pasighat to take stock of the situation there. He added that the state health department has taken all all necessary measures to stop the spread of the disease. Lego stated that all the district medical officers have been alerted regarding the situation and advised them to set up surveillance teams to ban the import of pigs and piglets from outside the state for a month
