More People Die of Japanese Encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh

More people in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur District continue to die of Japanese encephalitis, a viral disease.

Over 700 patients have been admitted to the city's Baba Raghav Das Medical College since January. The disease has claimed 107 lives, including children, and left many affected.

What You Should Know about Japanese Encephalitis - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito borne viral disease associated with inflammation of the brain.

Talking to mediapersons, Jitendra Kumar Gupta, a family member of encephalitis-affected patient, said the child had been suffering for the past 11 days and his health was still critical.

"I admitted (the child) at 10 p.m on Friday. He was getting fits. Earlier, he was admitted in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), and then, on Friday, the child was transferred here (in the encephalitis ward) in comatose state. He came to his senses on Saturday but is still not able to recognize anybody, and, he is crying," said Gupta.

According to media reports, over 7000 people have died of encephalitis in the last 32 years at the Gorakhpur Medical College Hospital.

About Mosquito Diseases
Mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, filaria, dengue, etc are common in places conducive of mosquito breeding. Swamps, ponds and stagnated drainage provide optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

"Around 40 to 50 patients get admitted (in medical college) daily, and out of which four to five children lose their lives everyday," said Balwant Kumar, a family member of another patient.

Meanwhile, the state health department has reportedly taken preventive measures such as immunization drives, fogging and spraying of mosquito-repellents in affected areas.

Filariasis - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment , FAQs
Filariasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods, mainly black flies and mosquitoes.

"Still 90 percent people go for open field defecation, which pollutes the water. During the rainy season, the polluted water percolates in the ground and gets mixed with underground water. And when people drink the water from the shallow hand pumps of 10-20 feet, then (those lethal materials) comes through the faeco-oral route," said R. N. Singh, Child Specialist.

Encephalitis is caused by mosquitoes that breed in stagnant water. Its symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue and the inflammation of the brain.

Source-ANI