Gaya: With at least eight suspected and one confirmed case of Japanese Encephalitis ( JE ) as well as malaria outbreak reported from different areas, Gaya district's health delivery system has again been put to test.According to Anugrah Narain Memorial Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) superintendent S K Sinha, microbiology report has confirmed one JE positive case, admitted to the hospital."Seven other suspected cases of encephalitis have been reported in the ANMMCH. Three of the suspected cases are attributed to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome ( AES ) of unknown variety. Treatment and investigation facilities are available in the hospital," Dr Sinha claimed and added samples were being sent to a Patna lab for further confirmation and detailed analysis.According to official records, though AES and JE cases are being almost regularly reported since 2005, the timing has registered a change during the last two years. Earlier, it used to hit the pig-rearing section of the population in the closing stages of the monsoon. Pigs are identified as the main carrier of the encephalitis virus. In 2016 and this year too, the outbreak has been somewhat early.Asked about the malaria outbreak, Dr Sinha said malaria cases are generally tested at the primary health centres. It falls in the civil surgeon's domain.Reports say more than 500 cases of malaria have been detected in different blocks of the district. Nearly 200 malaria cases have been reported from the town block, followed by Tekari (95) and Paraiyya (94).According to activist S B Bhaskar, recurrence of encephalitis, despite claims of two rounds of total immunisation, has put a question mark over the immunisation exercise.Gaya DM Kumar Ravi told TOI an active search has been launched to identify AES/JE cases at an early stage and an awareness campaign initiated. "The patients generally come to the medical college for treatment at an advanced stage," said the DM.Fogging was also being done. Besides the health workers, village- level public representatives were being made aware of the encephalitis treatment protocol, said Ravi.

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