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AP brain fever toll rises to 105

Shireen in Hyderabad

The death toll due to the outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (brain fever) in Andhra Pradesh has mounted to 105 on Wednesday.

According to a health bulletin issued by Director of Health Dr K S V Prasada Rao, 33 fresh cases of encephalitis were reported on Wednesday, pushing up the total for the current year to 516. The death toll due to the disease this year rose to 105 with five more children succumbing on Wednesday.

Since November 1, as many as 305 cases have been reported in the affected districts with 53 deaths. Before November, 211 cases were reported with 52 fatalities. The medical authorities say that this is not "abnormal" since the epidemic, which sets in in September, peaks during October and November, before tapering off in December.

Gradually, the disease is spreading to hitherto unaffected areas. Cases have been reported so far from 403 villages in a dozen districts, particularly Kurnool, Anantapur, Cuddapah, Prakasam, Guntur, Warangal, Mahubnagar, Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Medak.

Despite the medical authorities taking up all preventive and curative measures to control the disease, it has shown no signs of abatement.

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