AES cases decline,but experts wary of monsoon spurt

As per the July 1 report of the health department,the number of AES cases in the state between January and June 2013 is 219,of which 53 are from Kushinagar,40 from Deoria and 38 from Gorakhpur district. Sixty-three people have succumbed to the disease this year so far. Last year,the figure for the first six months was 539,with 107 deaths.

“The cases have definitely reduced and the major cause is the control in cases of Japanese Encephalitis. Until now,there have been no cases of JE in the state,” said Director General,Medical and Health,Dr D K Srivastava. He said that sanitation work and awareness programmes undertaken by the state government in affected districts can also be reasons behind the reduction.

Dr Srivastava denied under-reporting of cases and said that reports on encephalitis were being collected from all the districts and the cases have actually reduced this year.

Experts,though,warned that it is too early to say anything as the monsoon has just started. “Last year,the number of AES cases was high because many were reported in May. which did not happen this year because May and June were almost dry,” incharge of National Institute of Virology,BRD Medical College,Gorakhpur,Dr M M Gore said.