Japanese Encephalitis claims 2 more lines, UP toll at 77

Gorakhpur, Aug 22 (UNI) The deadly vector-borne menace Japanese Encephalitis (JE) continued to claim lives in Eastern Uttar Pradesh with the toll reaching 77, owing to the death of two more children in the last 24 hours.

The scourge has killed several thousands of people in the region over the last decade. Last year, the deadly JE had killed almost 1,000 people in UP alone.

Talking to UNI, Medical and Family Welfare joint director Dr L P Rawat said so far, 462 JE patients had come to the Baba Raghav Das Medical College here, of which 77, including six from Bihar, succumbed.

Almost 74 patients, including 12 fresh cases, were still in remission.

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

Nepal accounted for two JE cases reported so far, while the neighbouring state Bihar registered 46 cases.

Gorakhpur has the dubious distiction of being the JE epicentre in the region.

The endemic afflicts eastern UP during monsoon every year and continues to claim lines till the onset of winters.

UNI