JE toll rises to 327 people in UP

Gorakhpur, Oct 7 (UNI) The vector-borne Japanese Encephalitis (JE) toll today mounted to 327, following the death of four more children in East Uttar Pradesh.

The fresh casualty comprised one each from Kushinagar, Deoaria and Sant Kabirnagar districts, while one deceased hailed from Bihar.

Sources said, so far total 1,730 JE patients have come to light at the Baba Raghav Das hospital and various other hospitals in the district this season, of which 327, including two from neighbouring country Nepal and 34 from Bihar, had died.

In the last 24 hours, 13 fresh cases have come to the fore.

The scourage has killed several thousands of people in the region over the last decade.

JE menace generally breaks into Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Sant Kabirnagar, Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Azamgarh, Gonda, Bahraich, Mau, Ballia and Balrampur districts of UP.

The endemic afflicts eastern UP during monsoon every year and continues to take people under its jaws till the onset of winters.

Gorakhpur has the dubious distinction of being the JE epicentre in the region and due to lack of medical facilties, patients from Nepal, also come here for treatment.

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

UNI JAS RSA AS1906