Despite tall claims of the State Government that the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus being under control in Malkangiri district, two more kids succumbed to the vector-borne disease at the District Headquarters Hospital on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Sariaram Ramu (5) of Jilenguda village under Padia block and Chandan Kabasi (5) of Badli village under Korkonda block in the district. Both died while undergoing treatment at the hospital, sources said.
With this fresh deaths, the death toll in the deadly disease reached 74 in Malkangiri in last 49 days. Meanwhile, a 3-year-old baby boy undergoing treatment in the ICU of Koraput District Headquarters Hospital died due to suspected Japanese Encephalitis raising alarm in the district too. The deceased was identified as Akash Khemundu of Khairiput in Malkangiri. On Thursday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Pradeep Amat and Secretary Arti Ahuja had visited Malkangiri and took stock of the situation.