Guwahati: The Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has reported an alarming rise in Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases in 2025.
According to Dr Achyut Chandra Baishya, Principal and Chief Superintendent of GMCH, the hospital has documented 44 confirmed cases, with 10 fatalities recorded so far this year.
Baishya said, “The number of JE cases is increasing at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. The month of June witnessed a significant spike in JE cases compared to the previous months. Till now, we have 44 confirmed cases of JE. Out of these, 10 people died.”
The increase has triggered concerns among health authorities across the state.
The cases reported at GMCH came from multiple districts, highlighting the regional spread of the virus.
As per reports, Kamrup district reported 14 Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, followed by Nalbari with 10, Darrang with 7, and Kamrup Metro with 3 cases.
This spread indicates the need for heightened vector surveillance and public awareness across the state.
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, over 840 people died in Assam due to JE during the period from 2015 and 2024.
As per data, 135 people died of JE in Assam in 2015, 92 in 2016, 87 in 2017, 94 in 2018, 161 in 2019, 51 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 96 in 2022, 34 in 2023, and 53 in 2024.
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Japanese Encephalitis is a vector-borne viral disease transmitted through bites from infected Culex mosquitoes. The virus cycles primarily between waterfowl and pigs, with humans as incidental hosts. Though it can lead to severe febrile and neurological illness, JE is not transmissible between humans.
