Concerned over increased deaths due to Japanese Encephalitis in Malkangiri district, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday requested Union Health Minister JP Nadda to send a high-level fact-finding team to investigate the causes for outbreak of the disease and to advise the State Government for remedial measures.
“The disease has assumed epidemic proportions and claimed lives of more than 30 infants. The National Human Rights Commission has also issued notice to public authorities in Odisha asking them to submit a detailed report on steps being taken by them within four weeks. Therefore, it is necessary that the Government of India extends all possible support so that outbreak would be checked and not spread to other districts,” urged Pradhan in a letter.
He too informed that Malkangiri is an under-developed district afflicted with left Wing extremism. The district fares poorly on all socio-economic indicators.
Meanwhile, reports said four children have died
while undergoing treatment at the Malkangri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). With this, the total death toll rose to 38 in just 28 days.
Notably, the State Government had on Wednesday said vaccines would be administered in affected areas from November.
As the disease is transmitted though mosquito bites from pigs to human beings, the district authorities are currently distributing mosquito nets in the affected areas and shifting all pigs to a distance of 3 km from the human habitations. Meanwhile, unconfirmed sources said a child died
due to the disease in the Brahmagiri area of Puri district on Thursday.