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Published Date: 2011-12-09 02:16:30
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Japanese encephalitis & other - India (38): (UP,BI)
Archive Number: 20111209.3555

JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS AND OTHER - INDIA (38): (UTTAR PRADESH, BIHAR)
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In this update:
[1] Uttar Pradesh
[2] Bihar

******
[1] Uttar Pradesh
Date: Thu 8 Dec 2011
Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India [edited]
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=78300

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has
received a report from the government of Uttar Pradesh regarding
deaths of children in the state, the Minister of Women & Child
Development Smt. Krishna Tirath revealed in Rajya Sabha [Council of
States] today [8 Dec 2011] in written reply to a question.

As per the report, 462 children died from acute encephalitis syndrome
(AES) and 27 children died from Japanese encephalitis (JE) [virus
infection] in 2011 (as on 31 Oct 2011). The state has further reported
that a special immunization drive was carried out in 2006 and again in
2010 for Japanese encephalitis (JE) in Gorakhpur district. Thereafter
a regular immunization programme has covered 32 421 children till
September 2011.

Smt. Krishna Tirath also said that, as per the report, the reason for
AES in more than 50 per cent of the cases is not known [27 0f 462
total is just 6 per cent for JE virus infection and 94 per cent
undiagnosed cases]. Investigation for the reasons is continuing in the
Gorakhpur Unit of the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Once the
reason is known, effective initiatives can be planned.

--
communicated by:
Ronan Kelly
for FluTrackers.com
<flutrackers@flutrackers.com>

[These cases of non-JE undiagnosed acute encephalitis syndrome have
been occurring for over 6 months, yet no results of virologic
investigations have been reported. The report above does indicate that
there has been an ongoing JE virus vaccination effort in the affected
area.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Uttar Pradesh state can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/1i16.
- Mod.TY]

******
[2] Bihar
Date: Thu 8 Dec 2011
Source: Rediff News [edited]
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/encephalitis-kills-92-children-in-bihar/20111208.htm

The dreaded encephalitis, a mosquitoborne disease [virus], has killed
92 children, mostly Mahadalits, while more than half a dozen are still
fighting for their life in Bihar's Gaya district, state health
officials said on Thursday [8 Dec 2011]. "In the last 24 hours, 3 more
children died due to encephalitis," Anugrah Narain Medical College and
Hospital [ANMCH] paediatrics head AK Ravi said.

All the children died at ANMCH in Gaya, about 100 km [62 mi] from
Patna.

"With the deaths of 3 children in the last 24 hours and 4 children in
the past few days, the death toll has risen to 92," Ravi said.

According to health officials, the disease started claiming lives of
children since 23 Aug [2011]. Superintendent of ANMCH, Sitaram Prasad,
said that the government had employed several medical teams to control
the disease. He said that more than 384 children with suspected
encephalitis were admitted for treatment. "Some children are still
battling for life as their condition remains critical. However, some
are showing signs of improvement," he said.

Prasad said those children who died mostly belonged to the poorest
families in Gaya and its neighbouring districts.

A district administration official said that encephalitis hit Gaya in
2009, 2007 and 2005, and killed dozens of children.

Nearly 4 months ago 51 children died in Muzaffarpur district but the
state government is yet to confirm these as encephalitis deaths.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>

[A 16 Nov 2011 report indicated that there were 1000 encephalitis
cases in Bihar state (see ProMED-mail archive no 20111116.3381). That
report also stated, "Each year, Japanese encephalitis takes hundreds
of lives in 10 districts in central Bihar and Jharkhand including
Jahanabad, Aurangabad, Chatra, and a part of Patna." The number of
fatal cases has increased from 84 on 16 Nov 2011 to 92 mentioned
above. The previous report indicated that Japanese encephalitis virus
was the cause of the encephalitis. No etiology of the cases above is
given, however, so one does not know if they are due to Japanese
encephalitis virus infection or to something else.

The Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee of India is quoted saying,
"Mahadalits [the group mentioned above], the poorest of the socially
marginalised people in Bihar, are living in starvation in 2 villages
in Gaya district."
(http://civillibertiesindia.org/mahadalit_families_bihar_living_starvation).

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of Gaya
district, Bihar state can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/1ix2. - Mod.TY]

See Also