Encephalitis Outbreak Kills 60 Across Assam

Guwahati: Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome have killed 60 people in Assam since January. National Health Mission officials report 15 deaths from Japanese Encephalitis and 45 from AES. The diseases are spreading across dozens of districts.

Data shows 56 positive cases of Japanese Encephalitis so far. AES cases are nearing 500. Abhijit Sarma, Executive Director of NHM Assam, warned that the conditions are distinct. "AES and JE are two different clinical entities. While JE is one of the causes of AES, not all AES cases are JE cases," he said.

The government started emergency measures in February to handle the annual spike. Officials trained medical officers and boosted vaccination drives. They also updated treatment guidelines and hospital referral systems.

Authorities expect cases to rise through August. They want people to watch for high fever, seizures, or confusion. Residents should get to a hospital immediately if these symptoms appear.