Three die of JE : death toll 40

TT, Siliguri, July 26: Three persons died of Japanese Encephalitis in Siliguri and Alipurduar in the past 24 hours.

Puspa Roy, 75, from Jalpaiguri died in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital here last night. Sanjib Tirki, 22, from Kumargram and Laxmibala Barman, 45, from Fakiragram in Assam died this evening in the Alipurduar district hospital.

A team from the Union ministry of health and family welfare today visited NBMCH to take stock of diagnosis and treatment of the patients suffering from JE and those who have symptoms of the disease but whose tests have not been confirmatory.

"The Union ministry of health and family welfare has sent a team to conduct a survey of the districts in north Bengal that are affected by JE and symptoms of the disease. A neurologist and an entomologist from New Delhi visited NBMCH today," said an NBMCH official.

"They had come to see if the diagnosis for JE at the laboratory here was being conducted properly and treatment being given to the patients. A representative of the Calcutta-based All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health will join the two members tomorrow," he added.