Japanese Encephalitis toll in Assam rises to 97

Guwahati, July 18 (PTI): The Japanese Encephalitis toll in Assam since the beginning of this month rose to 97, with three more deaths reported on Thursday, a National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin said here. The number of JE-positive cases increased to 426 as 20 new ones were registered, the NHM bulletin said. On Thursday, one death each was reported from Darrang, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts of the state, the bulletin said. JE is a vector-borne disease that affects the brain. All three who died were undergoing treatment at hospitals in the districts, it added. The NHM bulletin further said the cumulative figure for JE/AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome) death in the state since January this year was 214, while the number of JE/AES-positive cases during this period was 1,518.