Japanese Encephalitis toll mounts to 292

Gorakhpur, Oct 30 (UNI) The deadly vector-borne disease Japanese Encephalitis (JE) continued to claim lives of children in eastern Uttar Pradesh with the toll mounting to 292, following eight more deaths in the last 48 hurs.

State Joint Director Health Dr Umakant Prasad said 1,566 people suffering from JE had been admitted at the famous Baba Raghav Das Medical College here and other hospitals since April 2006.

Almost 75 patients -- including 17 fresh cases -- are still under treatment.

The JE patients belong to Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, Sant Kabirnagar, Kushinagar, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Azamgarh, Gonda and Balrampur district of UP.

At least 194 cases pertain to Bihar, while Nepal accounts for 8 JE cases reported so far. Of the total JE deaths, 41 victims hailed from Bihar, Dr Prasad added.

Gorakhpur has the dubious distiction of being the JE epicentre in the region. The endemic afflicts eastern UP during monsoon every year.

The state government had undertaken a massive vaccination drive against the disease, however, the efficacy and penetration of the drive has come under cloud with the mounting toll.

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