Assam Grapples With JE as Death Toll Rises to 125, State Govt Offers Free Medical Treatment

Assam Health Minister P Hazarika said that the government is providing free treatment in state hospitals, while those patients admitted in private hospitals being given Rs one lakh for treatment.

New Delhi: There is no respite from in Assam as the death toll due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has risen to 125. Assam Health Minister P Hazarika said that the government is providing free treatment in state hospitals, while those patients admitted in private hospitals being given Rs one lakh for treatment.

Moreover, the medical and paramedical staff has been visiting houses in villages to aid with the treatment for the mosquito-borne disease.

P Hazarika, Health Min, Assam on deaths due to Japanese Encephalitis in the state: Till now,120 people have died. Govt is providing free treatment&those patients admitted in pvt hospitals being given Rs1 lakh for treatment. Medical&paramedical staff visiting houses in villages. pic.twitter.com/MOnZO2lnno

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2019

Just two days ago, the Assam state health department breathed a sigh of relief as the number of cases reported on JE on a daily basis went down significantly as its “peak period” was over.

The total number of JE cases stood at 544 across various districts of Assam. The National Health Mission (NHM) said that this year recorded the maximum number of JE cases in the northern Assam districts of Lakhimpur, Sivasagar and Sonitpur. Other districts like Goalpara, Kamrup, Jorhat and Dibrugarh were also severely affected.

Meanwhile, the brain fever has spread to Meghalaya where, on Wednesday, with 66 people tested positive for the disease, officials said.

Caused by a mosquito-borne virus, encephalitis results in inflammation of the brain and affects the central nervous system. While the lesser symptoms include headache and fever, the more severe ones cause seizures, confusion, disorientation, tremors and hallucinations.

With IANS inputs