By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : At least 151 deaths and 690 positive cases were reported in Assam due to Japanese Encephalitis till July 10 from June .Assam government has cancelled all leaves of doctors, para-medical staff and surveillance workers in order to deal with outbreak of encephalitis.Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) last evening confirmed that Ibochangmocha Sinha, head teacher of Indramoni Public High School, Lala, died of Japanese Encephalitis on Saturday. The district has registered two positive Japanese Encephalitis and two Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) cases this year. District Media Expert (DME) Monika Das said that the patients afflicted with JE and AES have been recuperating. ‘There is no patient from Hailakandi district presently undergoing treatment at SMCH,” said Das. Meanwhile, the health authorities have intensified awareness campaigns in schools and in vulnerable areas to combat JE.

Fogging operations have been going on in 23 villages with 32 villages already covered in the first round. More than 15,000 mosquito nets have been impregnated. 22 blood samples were screened at SK Roy Civil Hospital here on Monday and there was no positive case. 42,004 fever cases have been screened till date. Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli has been reviewing the situation constantly with the health officials and directed them to leave no stone unturned to combat JE and AES. Health authorities have revealed that 70 Multipurpose Health Workers and Surveillance Workers have been engaged to combat JE and they are making visits to the villages.The Chief Minister directed the officials to ensure adequate supply of vaccine and medicine to big hospitals, district hospitals and other health centres. “Ensure that there is no shortage of medicine. Procure the required medicine, specially life saving drugs and make them available at all health centres immediately. Speedy treatment must be ensured to save precious lives. Funds would be no constraints in tackling the situation,” he added. BEST OF EXPRESS LIVE Shivakumar, Milind Deora detained, taken away in police van Raj Thackeray, Sonia Gandhi’s surprise meet sparks political buzz Rajasthan Budget: Rs 1,000 crore farmers’ welfare fund, Janta clinics announced Gogoi directed senior officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) to speed up the conversion work of shallow tube wells into deep tube wells, specially in affected areas to bring down the cases of AES disease.