Six JE deaths in 10 cases put Jhapa at centre of vaccination push
Summary
Six of 10 Japanese encephalitis patients have died in Jhapa, pushing health officials to prepare an emergency vaccination drive for adults over 30. The outbreak has spread across all seven provinces, with high death rates and low vaccination coverage raising alarm nationwide.
Key Points
- Six of the 10 Japanese encephalitis patients in Jhapa have died, giving the district a 60 percent case-fatality rate.
- Health officials are planning an emergency vaccination drive for adults over 30 in Jhapa using childhood vaccine stocks.
- Nepal’s current JE outbreak has killed at least 21 people and infected more than 60 across all seven provinces.
- Experts say the government should urgently expand vaccination, awareness, sanitation and hygiene measures to reduce transmission.
