Gorakhpur Sees Surge in Acute Encephalitis

Cases of acute encephalitis that cause inflammation of the brain, are on a rise in Gorakhpur.

The fatal vector-borne disease that spreads through fecal-oral route has claimed 90 lives in this season.

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Doctors advise patients to maintain hygienic surroundings and encourage consumption of clean drinking water especially during this season.

"The number of cases increases especially during the months of August and September, rather in September the cases are really high. They are bound to increase more (in the coming months) and the numbers drop as winter approaches," said Sunil Kumar Arya, a doctor at the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) hospital.

This disease is endemic to the region and experts say that immediate measures are required to be taken to contain the virus from spreading.

Encephalitis in Gorakhpur
Encephalitis a fatal disease, which causes the inflammation of the brain, has taken 88 lives in Gorakhpur.

Most of the patients fall in the age group of 6 months to 12 years.

The initial symptoms of the disease are very common like recurring fever and vomiting.

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Experts feel that the parents and doctors fail to understand the seriousness of the mild fever, which can prove to be fatal.

Doctors at the BRD hospital said that a total of 383 patients have come to the hospital with symptoms of encephalitis this season, out of which only 16 patients were vaccinated against the deadly disease. his disease is almost endemic to the region and immediate measures are required to restrain the spread of the infection any further.