200 Indian children die from encephalitis

Indian health experts on August 24 said at least 200 babies were killed by Japanese outbreak of encephalitis in northern India.

Japanese encephalitis has symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and can cause patients to fall into a coma. The disease has been attacking Uttar Pradesh region since July. According to calculations, about 900 infected children were admitted to hospitals in Uttar Pradesh region. Some families from neighboring areas are Bihar and Nepal.

Children between the ages of 6 months and 15 years are easy to be within the danger of Japanese encephalitis.(Photo: BBC)

Since 1978, due to lack of treatment, this disease has killed thousands of people in India. Experts have also prevented the establishment of preventive vaccination programs, but still have not reduced many cases. This disease usually occurs in the rainy season in India.

Doctors say that children between the ages of 6 months and 15 years are easily within the danger of this disease. Professor Rashmi Kumar, an expert on Japanese encephalitis at the hospital Lucknow said: ' This year, the attack of encephalitis virus seems more brutal. Children get sick quickly within one to two days after being infected '.

The main reason leading to pathogens is that people in these areas often suffer from floods, polluted water sources, and hygiene conditions are not focused, leading to the development of living environment of the people. Harmful mosquito species .

According to doctors, Gorakhpur town is considered to be a hot area of ​​this epidemic. Last year, the Indian government also said it would spend 60 million rupees (about $ 1.24 million) in upgrading medical equipment at Gorakhpur Hospital. But the hospital did not have enough medical staff to serve a large number of patients.

Doctors also say that children who are untreated in a timely manner will suffer long-term effects, possibly with lifelong disabilities. Meanwhile, there is currently no special treatment. There are three popular vaccines, but India does not seem to succeed in spreading the vaccine.

In 2005, after 1,500 children died, the Indian government imported vaccines from China and the vaccine project began. However, this year the vaccine has not been popular in many regions. Many parents reflect that their area has no vaccine to prevent disease.