Japanese Encephalitis Death Toll rises to 21 in Malkangiri

At least 21 infants have died due to Japanese Encephalitis in the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district of Odisha.

The disease has spread to 18 villages in the district. A special medical team and expert team from Berhampur have been appointed to the medicals to examine the patients.

Doctors confirmed that the deaths were due to the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) which has transmitted by mosquitoes to humans and the pigs act as hosts for the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV).

Keeping pigs and goats is a part of some tribal culture as they are giving a goat and a pig as dowry at the time of marriage.

In this connection, Malkangiri Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthi said killing of pig is not possible in this area and vaccination to the infant is the only solution to eradicate Japanese Encephalitis disease.

Notably, in India, Japanese Encephalitis has claimed many lives in States like Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.