Pangasinan warned: Japanese Encephalitis is lethal

By March 3, 2019Headlines, News

38 CASES IN 2017

AN official of Department of Health (DOH) in Region 1 expressed alarm over the possible spread of the deadly Japanese Encephalitis disease that is caused by the bite of mosquitoes infected with the virus.

John Lee Gacusan, program manager of the National Immunization Program of DOH Region 1, said Japanese Encephalitis is a very lethal disease because it can put an infected person  in comatose state, paralysis and even death.

More lethal than either dengue or measles, Japanese Encephalitis registered only six cases in Region 1 in 2015. But in 2016, the number jumped to 36, and was 71 in 2017. However, in 2018, it went down to 15.

Gacusan revealed during the Government Information Officers Forum organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) at the Dagupan City Museum on February 28 that 70 percent of the Japanese Encephalitis cases registered in the country from 2016 to 2017, were from Region 1.

Gacusan said most of the Japanese Encephalitis cases registered in Region 1 were from Pangasinan. In 2015, one case in Sison town was registered. In 2016, cases were noted in  21 towns among them Binmaley, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, Binalonan and San Manuel.

The number of cases in the province went up to 38 in 2017 and from 2018 to date, no case has so far been registered.

If a mosquito was infected with Japanese Encephalitis it can transfer the virus to persons it has bitten.

Statistics revealed that if there were 100 individuals afflicted with Japanese Encephalitis, some 30 per cent of them will likely die. And persons bitten by the infected mosquito will likely develop severe symptoms that may put him in a comatose state or state of paralysis and eventually death.

World Health Organization and DOH  Research also revealed that a person afflicted with it usually develops self fear while the others may become aggressive, hurting themselves.

 He said the vaccination for it is given free by the DOH to children aged 15 years and below.

He urged parents to have their children vaccinated against the Japanese Encephalitis proven safe through the decades. (Leonardo Micua.).

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