In Nepal, Japanese encephalitis has claimed 20 lives this year, and there have been 103 cases since mid-May, all predominantly among farmers. Health professionals caution that the infection is spreading more rapidly than it did last year, and it affects 30% of children who are below 15 years old. It is carried by Culex mosquitoes and can lead to severe symptoms and long-term disabilities, and approximately 30 percent of those with severe cases end up dying. Medics insist on prevention, avoiding the bites of the mosquitoes and destroying breeding places, because the risk cannot be overcome before Kartik.
Japanese Encephalitis Claims 20 Lives in Nepal
