Mumbai, Apr 15 (PTI) Maharashtra is on alert against Japanese encephalitis and has accelerated its vaccination drive along with preventive measures and awareness programmes to control the infectious disease, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Fadnavis said protecting public health remains the government’s top priority and stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the health machinery to contain the disease.
He said that while vaccination against Japanese encephalitis had begun in other states during 2015-16, cases were detected in some districts of the Vidarbha region around the same time.
However, Maharashtra had not initiated vaccination then, he said, adding that the state later approached the Centre and rolled out the immunisation programme. These efforts have helped bring the number of cases close to zero, he said.
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral infection that affects the brain and can lead to severe complications, seizures and even death. The disease has a relatively high fatality rate, and survivors may suffer from long-term neurological complications.
According to official data, the number of cases in Maharashtra has remained relatively low between 2021 and March 2026, though sporadic cases have been reported in some districts. The state recorded two cases in 2022, five in 2023, five cases and two deaths in 2024, and seven cases with one death in 2025. No cases have been reported till March 2026.
Districts in the Vidarbha region, including Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, have reported most of the cases, officials said, describing the region as the most vulnerable due to mosquito breeding in rural and agricultural areas and proximity to pigs and birds, which are known carriers.
The state has made significant progress in its vaccination campaign between April 2025 and February 2026, achieving 89.26 per cent coverage for the first dose and 78.68 per cent for the second dose, they said.
Dharashiv, Latur and Solapur have reported high coverage, while Raigad, Pune and parts of the Pimpri-Chinchwad area have shown relatively lower uptake for the second dose, said officials.
For diagnosis and treatment, five sentinel centres have been set up in Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Sevagram (Wardha), Bhandara and Gondia, while paediatric intensive care units are operational in 16 districts, officials said.
The government said it is implementing a range of control measures, including regular vaccination, special immunisation drives, blood sample testing, fogging to control mosquitoes, surveillance of Culex species, release of guppy fish in breeding sites and sanitation campaigns.
The health department has urged citizens, especially parents of young children, to ensure vaccination, take precautions against mosquito bites and seek immediate medical attention in case of fever or neurological symptoms. PTI MR NR
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