In encephalitis status quo report, 4 disease-free districts biggest takeaway
The figures released by the Department of Health show a reduction of only six cases and 16 deaths due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in the state in 2012 as compared to 2011.
On the positive side, however, four of the 20 encephalitis-hit districts have managed to bring the disease under control, and have reported zero cases of both AES as well as Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in 2012. They are Ambedkarnagar, Rae Bareli, Lucknow and Jalaun. With this, the total number of districts affected by encephalitis has reduced to 16. Likewise previous years, the worst affected districts by AES remain to be Gorakhpur with 800 positive cases and 168 deaths, and Kushinagar with 904 cases and 129 deaths.
Last year, as many as 3,484 people were affected by the disease and 557 died of it. In 2011, the corresponding figures were 3,490 and 583. However, a considerable fall was noticed in the number of Japanese Encephalitis patients. While in 2011, as many as 224 JE patients were recorded in the state, with 27 fatalities; in 2012, the corresponding figures stood at 139 and 23.
Health officials attribute it to the special JE vaccination drive in 2010 as well as inclusion of the vaccine in the routine immunisation programme of the state.
During the encephalitis outbreak
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