One dies of JE symptoms

TT, Siliguri, July 9 : A patient from Sikkim who was suffering from Japanese Encephalitis-like symptoms died at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital today.

"Ajit RA, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawan from Sikkim was earlier admitted as a patient of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome because the symptoms were similar to the disease, but later, he was diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis," said a doctor at the critical care unit in NBMCH.

The authorities of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital have also sent a report to Swasthya Bhawan stating that of the eight samples that have tested positive for JE since July 1, four are from Jalpaiguri district.

Samir Ghosh Roy, the NBMCH principal, said the samples had come from different parts of north Bengal. The tests for JE were conducted at the microbiology laboratory in NBMCH, which is equipped with kits to conduct tests for the disease.

An NBMCH source said apart from the four samples that tested positive for JE from Jalpaiguri district, the other four samples belonged to patients from Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Assam.

From May 1 to July 7, there have been six deaths from JE-like symptoms and three deaths from JE.