New Delhi, Dec. 17: The Delhi government’s Health Department confirmed that 14 people have been tested positive for Japanese Encephalitis in the capital. It is the first time this year when the Japanese Encephalitis--a viral disease-- has affected the National Capital.

Japanese Encephalitis is very dangerous viral disease which killed more than 50,000 children in last 30 years and this year over 200 children died in eastern Uttar Pradesh region. Japanese Encephalitis is transmitted from pigs to humans by mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, chills, tiredness, headache, nausea and vomiting. It can progress into a serious infection of the brain, leading to paralysis.

Delhi health authorities are worried that if the trend continues Japanese Encephalitis might become endemic to Delhi in coming times. After 17 blood samples from slaughtered pigs tested positive for Japanese Encephalitis (JE), the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have joined hands to increase surveillance to check the mosquito-borne viral disease that affects the brain.

Chairman MCD Health Committee V K Monga told, “Chikunguniya came to Delhi last year and now this year we have reported 100 cases. He added that the worrying side is when a disease enters a new area, it never leaves. It's like a ticking time bomb."

Monga told that we met the Delhi health minister and have decided to call a meeting of our veterinary and public health department and the Delhi government's animal husbandry department next week to think of ways to stop the spread of disease.

A senior health ministry official told that the civic agency will take 100 fresh samples of slaughtered pigs from the city next week that will be divided in two categories. One sample will be collected from pigs that were reared in Delhi and the other will be from the pigs that were imported from other states.

Meanwhile, the MCD has also reported 1125 dengue cases and 7 deaths. Clearly Delhiites need to guard against mosquitoes this season.