Assam Braces for Encephalitis Surge As Floodwaters Recede

• Image Credit: Internet

• Jul 7, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

Digital Desk: As the flood water moves back in Assam , the state
is now getting ready for a spate of Japanese Encephalitis(JE) cases.

According to reports July is the peak time for the spread of the
infection and the state medical authorities have already issued a warning
looking at the rise of EC infection cases in the state .

According to reports released by the National Health
Mission(NHM)  , the state has reported
143 AES cases and 16 deaths have been recorded so far.

48 of these cases were 
Japanese Encephalitis which were reported from the following  places of Assam Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari,
Barpeta , Dhemaji, Kamrup, Sivasagar and Sonitpur. Some of the cases were
reported from Jorhat and Nagaon too.

On Wednesday, in view of the increasing cases of JE and AES, NHM
Mission Director Dr MS Lakshmi Priya Chaired a video conference with the
concerned district health teams.

The meeting was also chaired by the officials from the state’s
integrated Disease Surveillancer Programme(IDSP) cell and National Vector Borne
Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)  

Devastating floods struck Assam last month, and this year at
least 179 people have died as a result of rain-related disasters.

Consumption of polluted water and associated health problems
have been recorded from various areas in the flood-affected regions as the
floodwaters have now subsided and the residents of the relief camps have
returned to their homes.

Authorities are keeping a careful eye on the state's status
and implementing illness prevention strategies.

 218 AES cases and 40 deaths associated with it were
documented in the report.