Japanese Encephalitis Scare At Residential School In Odisha’s Balasore, 5 Students Found Positive

Balasore: Fear of Japanese encephalitis gripped Purubai Kanyashram at Soro in Odisha’s Balasore district after five students reportedly tested positive for the deadly viral brain infection.

Sources said Samples of 29 students were examined following death of a student of the residential school and the test reports of five were found positive for Japanese encephalitis, a viral brain infection caused by mosquito bites.

The five affected students along with two other inmates have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). Their health condition is stated to be stable.

Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra visited the place on Monday and inquired about the health condition of the students.

Though the other students have no symptoms, they are under observation, according to a senior health official.

It may be noted here that a Class X student of the Kanyashram died and around 25 others were admitted to the hospital after they suffered diarrhoea and severe headache.

The development has triggered panic in the area as a severe outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with high case fatality was reported from Malkangiri in 2016.