Japanese Encephalitis claims 3 more lives; toll reaches 27

Malkangiri: Vector-borne disease Japanese Encephalitis is fast spreading its tentacles in Malkangiri district as total 27 children have so far died due to the disease in the last 25 days.

Sources said three more children died of Japanese Encephalitis in the district during the last 24 hours. Two of the three deceased were identified as Basanti Madakami of Koimetalai and Rupa Padiami of Kasalbedal. The two died while undergoing treatment at the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital (DHH). With this, the total number of deaths due to the vector-borne disease during the last 25 days reached to 26.

Many more children affected by the disease are undergoing treatment while five to six of them are in critical condition. Though medical teams have been camping in the affected areas to treat ailing children, the disease is still spreading in the district.

Sources said an expert team would be sent to the affected villages to take stock of the situation. Besides, Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Secretary Arti Ahuja are likely to visit the affected areas today.

Talking to media persons, the Minister said in the first phase, a team had been sent to the affected area to take stock of the situation. Another expert team was sent to the villages on Sunday. They would stay there for 10 days and plan treatment and other preventive measures needed to be taken to tackle the situation, he added.

"Besides, a special team of veterinary doctors will be sent to the affected villages to identity the infected pigs and have the Japanese Encephalitis virus. The Animal Husbandry department has also decided to send a team from Kolkata which specialises in identifying the infected pigs,” the Minister pointed out.