Guwahati: The advent of the monsoon has sparked a Japanese Encephalitis (JE) surge in Assam, with four JE deaths confirmed at the GMCH so far this month. GMCH officials on Saturday confirmed that the latest victim was a youth from Panikhaiti, near Guwahati, who died on Saturday due to JE.The 30-year-old Narbahadur Chetry from Panikhaiti was admitted to the hospital on June 6 and later confirmed JE positive, doctors said.The previous JE death occurred at GMCH just a day earlier. Subhash Ch Baishya, a 58-year-old resident of Barpeta district, died on Friday. He had been admitted almost simultaneously on June 5.“In many cases, patients come with severe symptoms of JE and later get confirmed in tests. In some cases, deterioration is fast,” said Dr Devajit Choudhury, GMCH superintendent, on Saturday.According to GMCH reports, both patients had been suffering from high fever for several days, and altered sensorium, the primary symptom of JE, was confirmed in both cases.While the state health department has not released updated district-wise data on JE cases, sources indicate that more deaths may have occurred in other districts in recent days.At GMCH itself, two more JE deaths were recorded earlier this month — one on June 9 and another on June 4.On June 9, Rahman (89) from Boko in Kamrup district died after testing JE positive. On June 4, Safiqul Islam (17), also from Boko, succumbed to the disease.The JE death rate in Assam rose alarmingly to 16% by August last year, compared to 7% in 2024, despite a decline in the number of cases.With June and July being the most critical months for JE, doctors have expressed concern over the rising fatalities.JE has emerged as a major health threat in rural Assam and hill regions, where mosquito breeding in stagnant water increases during the monsoon. July is considered the peak month for JE transmission.
