Japanese Encephalitis claims 11 more, toll at 314

Gorakhpur, Oct 15 (UNI) The vector-borne menace, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), continued to claim lives of children in eastern Uttar Pradesh with the toll mounting to a staggering 314, following 11 more deaths in the last 48 hours.

Of the deceased, five hailed from Kushinagar, two from Kushinagar and one each from Deoria, Sant Kabirnagar, Gorakhpur and Bihar.

Sources said almost 1821 patients were admitted to the famous Baba Raghav Das Medical College here and other district hospitals, of which 314 have succumbed.

The JE patients trickle from Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, Sant Kabirnagar, Kushinagar, Ballia, Gonda, Bahraich, Mau, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Azamgarh, Gonda and Balrampur districts of UP.

Gorakhpur has the dubious distiction of being the epicentre of JE in the region. The endemic afflicts eastern UP during monsoon every year. Last year, JE had affected at least 1,000 people.

The government undertakes a massive vaccination drive against JE every year. However, the efficacy and penetration of the exercise has come under cloud with the mounting toll.

UNI