Assam reports 12 new JE deaths, toll rises to 26
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Guwahati: Assam has reported 12 more Japanese encephalitis (JE) deaths in the past week, increasing the state's total fatalities from the disease this year to 26, the state health department said.
The virus has now spread to 33 of 35 districts, with only Dima Hasao and Hailakandi remaining unaffected.
On Monday, two new deaths were confirmed, one each from Karbi Anglong and Udalguri districts. The state also recorded 22 new JE cases on Monday, raising the total number of cases this year to 274. The majority of these cases have emerged in the last two months, coinciding with the onset of the rainy season.
Barpeta district has reported the highest number of JE deaths, with three fatalities, followed by Bajali, Darrang, Kamrup, Karbi Anglong, Udalguri, and Tinsukia, each with two deaths.
Other districts, including Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Nagaon, and Sonitpur, have each reported one death.
The number of confirmed JE cases has surged from 215 last Tuesday to 274, with Karbi Anglong leading the tally with 20 cases. Nalbari and Golaghat districts have each reported 19 cases, while Darrang has 18. Kamrup and Nagaon have each documented 17 cases, and several other districts have reported 10 or more cases.
State health officials have expressed concern over the rising number of cases and fatalities. "Both the increase in JE cases and fatalities is a concern," a senior health department official said. The department has urged residents to remain vigilant, as the peak transmission period for JE typically occurs in July and August.
JE is primarily transmitted to humans through bites from infected Culex mosquitoes, particularly Culex tritaeniorhynchus, and is often associated with pig settlements and birds near paddy fields. The state health department continues to monitor the situation closely and is advising the public to take preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus.
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