Japanese Encephalitis claims one more, toll at 63

Gorakhpur, Aug 13 (UNI) The fatal vector-borne disease, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), continued to claim lives of children in eastern Uttar Pradesh with the toll mounting to 63, following one more death in the last 24 hours.

Talking to UNI tonight, joint director Medical Health and Family Welfare, Dr L P Rawat said since January, over 359 JE patients had been admitted at the famous Baba Raghav Das Medical College here, of which 63 succumbed.

Almost 73 patients -- including 10 fresh cases -- are in remission. Some patients are also recuperating at the Gorakhpur and Deoria district hospitals.

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

The endemic afflicts Eastern UP during monsoon every year and Gorakhpur has the dubious distiction of being the JE epicentre in the region. Last year, the deadly disease had taken almost 1,000 lives under its jaws.

Every year the government undertakes a massive vaccination drive against the vector-borne disease, but, the efficacy and penetration of the drive comes under cloud with the mounting toll.

UNI