KATHMANDU, Aug 12: Along with dengue and chikungunya outbreaks, the monsoon season in Nepal also brings a high prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus infections. Doctors warn that due to low public awareness about the disease, many people die each year from delayed treatment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the high-risk period will last until mid-October, and every citizen should remain vigilant. This year, JE has already claimed three lives and infected 34 people, with experts predicting more cases in the coming month.
The WHO Nepal chapter reported that this year’s fatalities include a 49-year-old woman from Morang, a 17-year-old youth from Morang, and a 74-year-old man from Bara. All of them had not received the JE vaccine.
Doctors explain that the virus is transmitted by Culex species mosquitoes: pale-colored insects that contract the virus after biting infected pigs, wild birds, ducks, or horses, and then transmit it to humans. These mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk.
Once infected, humans can develop a range of serious symptoms. The mosquitoes commonly bite people living near rice fields, ponds, marshy areas, or duck farms, making those residents more vulnerable. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, fatigue, and in severe cases, brain inflammation causing neurological imbalance.
The disease affects the nervous system, with a fatality rate of 15 to 30 percent among those infected. Survivors often live with some form of lifelong disability. Children under 15 are more likely to be affected than older individuals, with data showing they account for over 75 percent of cases. However, adults are also at significant risk.
Globally, JE is most common in Southeast Asia, with India being the most affected country. Across Asia, the disease causes 10,000 to 20,000 deaths each year. In Southeast Asia, WHO recorded 1,400 cases in 2022, 1,500 in 2023, and 195 cases in 2024. In Nepal, 31 districts are classified as high-risk zones.
Given the high mortality rate, doctors emphasize that prevention is the only effective protection. They advise that early medical care after symptoms appear can prevent death and long-term disability. People showing any symptoms should seek hospital treatment immediately.
Dr Balwinder Singh, from WHO’s Immunization and Disease Control Program, said that a major problem in Nepal is the lack of public awareness, which leads to many avoidable deaths each year. “The main issue is lack of awareness,” he stressed.
Preventive measures include wearing long-sleeved clothing, sleeping under mosquito nets at night, and getting vaccinated against JE. In Nepal, the vaccine is part of the regular immunization program for children under five. For people over 15, there is no free government program, so they must obtain the vaccine from the private sector.