Seven people have died of Japanese encephalitis in Assam since the beginning of the year, while 32 others have died of acute encephalitis syndrome, as of June 17, the State unit of the National Health Mission (NHM) said in a statement on Thursday (June 18, 2026).

Almost 62% of all Japanese encephalitis (JE) deaths in India since 2018 have been in Assam, according to national data, and outbreaks usually occur between May and October, peaking in July and August.

Noting that the two distinct conditions are not interchangeable, Assam NHM executive director Abhijit Sarma clarified that JE is one cause of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), but not all AES cases are of JE.

Preparing for peak JE season

“According to data available with the National Centre for Vector-Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC), Assam reported 35 JE cases and seven deaths due to JE up to June 17. On the other hand, 32 of the 470 cases of AES resulted in deaths,” he said.

“The State government has undertaken extensive preparedness measures for the annual AES-JE season, including strengthening surveillance, case management, hospital preparedness, vaccination coverage, and inter-departmental coordination,” Dr. Sarma said.

The NCVBDC data shows that three out of every five JE deaths in India between January 2018 and March 2026 occurred in Assam, where 609 people lost their lives to the mosquito-borne disease. During this period, 376 people died due to JE in the rest of the country.