Click to play videoNew Delhi: Even as India worries about the H1 N1 flu pandemic, a yearly killer Japanese encephalitis has hit Uttar Pradesh again. The Japanese encephalitis - a mosquito-borne disease - has killed over 200 children and has caused at least 700 more people to be hospitalised.
"Everyday, 7-10 cases are being admitted. This time the virus is spreading from stomach to the rest of the body," said Principal, BRD Medical College, Rakesh Saxena.
The disease causes an inflammation of the brain tissue which is caused by a virus spread by mosquitoes. It affects the brain, leaving many survivors with permanent brain damage. It causes headaches, convulsions, high fever and respiratory distress.
"My child had fever and after giving medicines it subsided and later again relapsed. He took her to the doctor who asked us to immediately take her to Gorakhpur Medical College as she has encephalitis," said a parent.
There is no cure for encephalitis, but the tragedy is that vaccines are available. Voluntary groups in the state have slammed state and federal government for not vaccinating enough children against encephalitis despite smaller outbreaks in the past 27 years and of being slow to respond to this year's deadly outbreak, fuelled by early monsoon rains.
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