Bhubaneswar: The State Health department is on tenterhooks after the death toll due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) reached 16 in Malkangiri on Tuesday. Reports said, a five year old boy breathed his last at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) after battling for life for eight days.
DHH sources said, around 31 children are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital for showing symptoms like fever, vomiting and fatigue. Of the 31 samples sent to regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), 15 tested positive for JE, the sources added.
“We are keeping a close watch on all the patients. Most the children are showing symptoms of improvement. We hope that they will recover soon,” a medical staff said.
On Monday the State government sent an expert team to the district to take a stock of the situation.
Meanwhile hospital authorities have started taking precautionary measures to contain the disease.
“Fogging is being done in all the affected areas. It’s too difficult to treat a patient when it is brought to hospital at 11th hour…. A two member expert team from Berhampur has visited the hospital,” Malkangiri ADMO Sashibhusan Mohapatra said.
The deaths have been reported from Kalimela, Pandripani and Korkunda blocks of the district which had first witnessed the incidence of acute encephalitis syndrome and JE in 2012.