Assam Braces For Encephalitis Surge As Floodwaters Recede

Assam has reported 143 Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, including 48 Japanese Encephalitis cases, so far this year, said officials.

As the floodwaters recede in Assam, the state is now bracing for a spate of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases. July is the peak time for the infection and cases are already on the rise in the state.

Assam has reported 143 Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) cases and 16 related deaths so far this year, said officials of the state unit of National Health Mission (NHM).

Of these, 48 were JE cases reported from Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Kamrup, Sivasagar and Sonipur, said health officials. Some cases were reported from Jorhat and Nagaon too.

NHM Mission Director Dr MS Lakshmi Priya chaired a video conference with district health teams on Wednesday in view of the rising cases of water- and vector-borne diseases. Officials from the state's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) cell and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) cell also participated in the conference.