Man loses 2 children to Japanese encephalitis

A Daniguda village resident in Malkangiri lost his second child to Japanese Encephalitis on Tuesday, two days after his daughter, aged 2, succumbed at the district headquarters hospital here while undergoing treatment.

The disease, which is spread through mosquito bites, claimed two more lives elsewhere in the district on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 84 in the past two months.

Sudarsan Padiami, the 35-year-old, is now worried about his only surviving child, seven-year-old Shanti, who too is down with fever.

It was not immediately known whether Shanti is also suffering from JE or any other form of influenza.

“She too is admitted to the district headquarters hospital. Her parents took her home on Tuesday for the last rites of their four-year-old son Ramesh,” said Nirupama Parida, a health worker.

Mr Padiami’s 2-year-old daughter Sushila had passed away on Sunday. Since the death of his second child, Mr Padiami has been experiencing serious mental trauma for which he is undergoing treatment, Ms Parida said.

The two other deceased from the district have been identified as Rasi Madhi of Korkonda and Ramesh Pujari of Mathili.

Meanwhile, a Class 4 student of Palkonda on Monday wrote an emotional letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to save the children of Malkangiri who are dying of Japanese Encephalitis.

“Dear Prime Minister, eight of my village friends with whom I used to play have died in the last two months. Please save us from the rapidly spreading JE that has claimed many more lives in our district. If possible, please visit our district for better understanding of the situation,” Umesh wrote in the letter.