Japanese encephalitis claims 5-yr-old’s life

Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, September 1

Japanese encephalitis (JE), a mosquito-borne viral infection, has claimed the life of a five-year-old boy of Bhagawanpur village near Dera Bassi. This is the first death caused by the virus in Dera Bassi this year.

Rajinder Singh, sanitary inspector, Health Department, said Ashu was ill since August 2 and was taking treatment from a private practitioner in Barwala. Seeing no improvement in his health, the victim’s father Aditya Kumar, a migrant labourer, got him admitted to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, on August 7. When the boys’ condition deteriorated on August 12, he was referred to the GMSH-16, Chandigarh. The victim was treated there for about two hours, following which doctors referred him to the PGI, Chandigarh, Rajinder Singh added.

The victim died on August 16. Subsequently, the department informed the district health authorities. As per the medical certificate of the cause of death, the victim died due to meningo-encephalitis leading to refractory and neurogenic shock.

Mohali Civil Surgeon Rita Bhardwaj said a team of health experts in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department visited the affected village in Dera Bassi and began a survey within 5km radius of the village. The team did not find any other persons with the virus symptoms, she added.