After Corona, fear of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is looming large over the city. Following the first death from JE on Wednesday, the administration sounded alert.
The deceased was a woman (38) and resident of Galudih. She was undergoing treatment at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College Hospital. Earlier she was admitted at Tata Motors Hospital.
As the news spread , a health team was sent to the patient's house and its surrounding areas and for necessary preventive action.
So far 34 JE suspected patients have been investigated in the district. Eight positives have been found during tests. At the same time, one has died so far.
Dengue and JE cases have started increasing during the rainy season. In view of this, the department has also issued an alert. A total of 17 people have been investigated in the district so far. Six dengue patients have been found positive.
The alert was issued by East Singhbhum unit of integrated diseases surveillance program (IDSP) to all the private and state owned heal hubs across the district. There are nearly 30 private and government hospitals in the district.
The alert communiqué asks health centers (including nursing centers) to report patients with viral or dengue-like symptoms on a 24/7 priority basis.
“We have communicated the alert notification for vector borne diseases to all private and government hospitals. Hospitals have been asked to submit details of patients with viral fever symptoms or suspected dengue on a 24 hours basis to the IDSP district unit. This will aid us to arrange serum or blood sample testing of patients at the MGM Medical College lab in Dimna to confirm dengue/chikungunya or Japanese Encephalitis,” said the health official.
The IDSP apart from coordinating with district filaria and district malaria department for spraying of anti-larvicidal chemicals is also planning to start door-to-door campaigns in areas identified as vulnerable to vector borne diseases in the past.
“Civic bodies have been carrying out spraying of anti-larvicidal chemicals and fogging under its command areas while the local urban bodies along with district filaria department have been spraying anti-larvicidal and also distributing pamphlets informing masses not to let water accumulate in unused containers and complain about clogging of drains.
However, now we want to visit spots which had witnessed higher numbers of dengue and chikungunya cases in the past and destroy water accumulating containers in houses,’ said the official.