BHUBANESWAR: Even as two more children succumbed to the deadly Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in the last 24 hours in Malkangiri district taking the death toll to 40 in 30 days, the State Government on Saturday claimed to have brought the situation under control citing that the number of children affected by the disease is declining.
Reviewing the measures taken in the affected areas to control the menace, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said of 116 children (all below 10 years) admitted to the hospitals for suspected JE infection so far, 25 have been discharged while 51 are undergoing treatment.
“People are now aware about the disease. They have started keeping themselves away from the pigs which are the carrier of the disease. They are also consulting health workers and bringing their children directly to the hospitals instead of taking them to quacks and disaris which is a positive development,” the Minister said.
The Government has sent Director of Health Services Dr Kailash Chandra Dash, Joint Secretary of H&FW Department Ajit Mishra and Joint Director of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) Dr MM Pradhanto to the district to take stock of the situation.
“Nine doctors including four paediatric specialists and one anesthesiologist have been sent to Malkangiri to treat the affected children. While three teams are camping at the district headquarters hospital, another group is stationed at Kalimela CHC. Every possible step is being taken to prevent deaths and control the disease,” the Minister said.