Encephalitis situation coming under control, says central team

The situation in Japanese Encephalitis (JE) affected in Odisha's Malkangiri district, where 63 people have died of the disease, was now under control, a central fact finding team today said here.
"Proper steps have been taken to check further spread of the disease and also to create awareness among the people. Things are gradually coming under control in the district," Joint Director of National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), who led the Central team, Kalpana Baruah said.
The six-member team which visited different JE-affected villages of Malkangiri district for two days, met the state health department officials here today.
The district headquarters hospital at Malkangiri has proper facilities for the patients, Baruah said, adding proper treatment was also being provided to the affected children.

Treatment offered there was also satisfactory, she added.
The team members met villagers and found considerable improvement in the situation in Malkangiri as a number of steps including fogging have been taken to check further spread of the disease.

Stating that the team has collected blood samples of villagers and patients undergoing treatment, she said these samples have been sent for laboratory test.
Expressing satisfaction over the measures taken by the administration to tackle the disease, members of the central team said a decision on undertaking vaccination for JE would be taken soon.
Altogether 21 JE patients were now undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital.