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AP brain fever toll reaches 99

Shireen in Hyderabad

The death toll due to the outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (brain fever) in Andhra Pradesh has reached 99, with the death of four more children on Sunday.

According to a health bulletin issued by the state Director of Health, Dr K S V Prasada Rao, 25 fresh cases of encephalitis were reported on Sunday, pushing the total for the current year so far to 463. He said that on Saturday, 36 fresh cases were reported and seven children died.

Dr Rao said that most of the cases were reported from 337 villages in 10 districts. In the remaining 13 districts, including the state capital Hyderabad, no cases of brain fever have been reported so far, he said.

He said, "As many as 119 medical teams and 230 para-medical teams are working in the field. The situation is being closely monitored in all the 337 affected villages."

Spraying, fogging and anti-larval operations and residuary spraying are being undertaken in all the affected areas. Additional doses of Japanese encephalitis vaccines have been despatched to Kurnool, Anantapur and Prakasam districts, where the incidence of brain fever is high.

He said that an awareness campaign against the viral disease has been taken up through newspapers, television channels and leaflets. The people have been asked to keep pigs away from human habitations. They have also been told to keep their surroundings clean and free from stagnant water to avoid breeding of mosquitoes.

Japanese encephalitis is marked by symptoms of high fever, accompanied by decrease in the level of consciousness, significant change in the mental status and convulsions. Children up to the age of 14 years are generally prone to brain fever. Culex mosquitoes and their larvae are the carriers of the disease. Almost 30 per cent of the children suffering from brain fever are likely to be afflicted with epilepsy.

Data on the incidence of Japanese encephalitis shows that there were 667 cases and 293 deaths in 1990, 528 cases and 213 deaths in 1991; 143 cases and 66 deaths in 1992; 1,185 cases and 467 deaths in 1993; 260 cases and 131 deaths in 1994; 986 cases and 269 deaths in 1995; 332 cases and 108 deaths in 1996; 984 cases and 247 deaths in 1997; 524 cases and 201 deaths in 1998. So far this year, 463 cases and 99 deaths have been reported.

To contain the incidence of brain fever, the district authorities have taken preventive steps. The measures include segregating pigs from human habitations, ensuring better sanitation, covering open drains, clearing shrubs and drains, undertaking fogging operations to check mosquito breeding.

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