Japanese Encephalitis rampages Manipur

A fear psychosis looms large over Manipur, particularly in the valley districts of the state, following unprecedented spread of the dreaded disease Japanese Encephalitis. The killer disease has claimed forty three lives till the first week of August. Thirty two patients died at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and another eleven succumbed to the disease at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical Hospital, Imphal. Fifty four patients are now undergoing treatment in the two hospitals – twenty five at the RIMS and twenty nine at J.N Hospital up to the mentioned period. Sources further disclosed that in all, one hundred forty seven suspected cases of Japanese Encephalitis were recorded by the state medical directorate during the period from January to August 2 this year. Of these, blood samples of fifty eight persons were sent to the School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta, for confirmation of the disease. Of the fifty eight samples, cases of eleven have been positive. However, the school continues further investigation.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to provide free medical aids costing up to Rs. 3000 to the needy patients suspected to have been affected by the disease. The aid will be in the form of medicines, etc.