Alert in Jharkhand after Dumka man tests positive for Japanese Encephalitis

The Jharkhand health department has swung into action after test report of a 35-year-old man in Dumka came positive for Japanese Encephalitis (JE), said officials on Thursday.

The patient, identified as Ramlal Sharma, is being treated at Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi.

The state vector borne disease control programme (SVBDCP) nodal officer, Dr Vijay Nath Khanna, said out of two JE suspects admitted at RIMS, report of one patient came positive.

Since two JE patients from Dhurwa locality in Ranchi had died in May, the health department has intensified efforts to check the disease.

Dr Khanna, however, said there was no need to panic and claimed that the state had made elaborate plan to deal with the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon emergence of JE cases.

“From January to June 327 suspected JE cases from 22 districts have been found in which test reports of 12 patients emerged positive. After casualties in Ranchi, the state health secretary ordered on May 31 for separate survey for JE case in the state...They health department also held workshop on June 14 for health employees to check the disease,” said Dr Khanna.

JE is a vector-borne disease and is transmitted by mosquitoes.

According to health department report, 34 Japanese Encephalitis cases were reported from Jamshedpur (East Singhbhum district) followed by Giridih, 28, Palamu and Ramgarh with 17 each, 16 cases in Gumla and 15 in Bokaro. But positive case was found only in 10 districts Ramgarh (2), Ranchi (2) Garhwa (1), Giridih (1), Jamshedpur (1), Dumka (1), Dhanbad (1), Palamu (1), Saraikela (1) and Gumla (1).

State entomologist of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Sagya Singh said JE and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) are two different diseases.

“The health department has intensified awareness campaign in vulnerable areas to check the disease and remove the confusion,” she said.