The Hindu : National : Encephalitis deaths denied

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Sunday, Nov 07, 2004

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National

Encephalitis deaths denied

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, NOV. 6. The Director-General of Health Services, Haryana, B.S. Dahiya, today denied press reports that some children had died of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Karnal district of the State.

In a clarification issued here, Dr. Dahiya said that in all 14 cases of suspected JE were reported from Karnal district during this year and four of them had been cured. It had been found that 10 deaths occured due to pneumonia, diarrhoea, dehydration and vomiting. Blood samples of 10 persons who had come in contact and six suspected cases of JE were sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi, by the Civil Surgeon of Karnal, but none of the samples had been found to be positive for JE infection.

He said that teams of the NICD, Delhi and Pune had also visited Karnal on October 28 and 29 to investigate the cases. They collected blood samples of the suspected cases as well as mosquitoes for virus isolation. The results of these tests were still awaited, he added. The State Health Department had constituted 62 teams of Medical Officers and para-medical staff in Karnal district. These teams were regularly visiting the areas and inquiring about suspected JE cases.

He asserted that no confirmed case of JE had so far been reported from Karnal or any other area in the State. As a precautionary measure, Malathion fogging was also being carried out in the areas from where suspected cases of JE had been reported. Also, health teams were educating people about the transmission of disease and how to avoid contact with disease transmitting mosquitoes. The situation was being monitored daily at the State and district headquarters, he added.

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