Bhubaneswar: The outbreak at Purubai Kanyashram in Soro has not been confirmed as that of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) informed Director, Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra .
“The Paediatric Department of Balasore Medical College has opined that it is some type of viral encephalitis. There can be several causes for viral encephalitis. As of now we cannot confirm what kind of outbreak it is,” clarified Dr Mishra. ,
The Director Public Health has stated that the inmates of the Kanyashram have tested negative for COVID and dengue.
“It is Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) of which Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one sub category. Out of the samples sent for testing some have tested positive for IgM which is not detection of JE virus but detection of antibody of that virus,” the Director Public Health explained.
Dr Mishra informed that all those who have tested positive are doing well.
“They don’t have any neurological symptom. But as a preventive measure we have shifted them to Balasore. They’re under observation. None of the two students who are in the ICU have tested positive for JE,” he added.
The Director Public Health, has however, admitted for sure that it is some kind of encephalitis
He said that efforts are underway to find out the causes behind the outbreak, samples both of the Kanyasharam’s inmates and of aquatic birds (reservoirs of the JE virus) have been sent to respective laboratories for testing.
