July 16, 2025
THIMPHU – With the monsoon in full swing, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued an urgent public advisory following an outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) across several districts in Assam, India.
The outbreak has already resulted in reported fatalities, prompting heightened concern for Bhutanese citizens, particularly those travelling through the affected areas.
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), in a formal communication, also expressed concern for Bhutanese students currently away from home who are preparing to return to school as the holidays end.
The ministry has urged parents and students to exercise the utmost caution and adhere strictly to all recommended preventive health measures while travelling.
Japanese Encephalitis is a serious viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected Culex mosquitoes. Though relatively uncommon, the disease can cause life-threatening complications, including brain inflammation, seizures, permanent neurological damage, and death.
Health experts have noted that JE transmission peaks during and after the rainy season, especially in rural and agricultural regions where pig farms and paddy fields provide ideal mosquito breeding grounds.
The MoH has identified six districts in Assam as JE hotspots: Kamrup, Nalbari, Darrang, Baihata, Mukulamua, and Morigaon. Travellers heading to or transiting through these areas are strongly advised to take rigorous precautions.
These include the use of mosquito nets while sleeping, application of insect repellent on exposed skin. wearing long-sleeved clothing and trousers—especially during dawn and dusk—and eliminating stagnant water near living quarters to reduce mosquito breeding.
Health authorities have emphasized that the best course of action is to avoid travel to the affected regions. “However, if travel is unavoidable, individuals must take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites,” an official stated.
To bolster surveillance and containment efforts, the ministry has alerted health centres along the border and initiated vector monitoring in high-risk zones. “Paddy fields and piggery areas are under close observation,” the official added.
The Royal Centre for Disease Control (RCDC) is actively monitoring the situation through the National Early Warning System. “If any suspected cases are found, samples will be collected,” the official said, noting that no local infections have been reported thus far.
As part of the preventive strategy, health officials have also held consultations with piggery farm owners. Pigs are known to act as amplifying hosts of the JE virus, especially when bitten by infected mosquitoes, which significantly heightens the risk of transmission to humans.
“This happens especially if the pig is bit by the infected mosquitos. After which, it is easily transmitted to humans,” the official explained.
The Ministry of Health has assured the public of its preparedness to scale up control measures if necessary.
In the meantime, it advises citizens to avoid non-essential travel through the affected districts and remain vigilant for symptoms such as high fever, headache, vomiting, seizures, neck stiffness, or confusion.