Lucknow: In February last year, the Allahabad high court termed the outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the eastern UP "a national emergency'. Coming down heavily of the authorises, Justice Sunil Ambwani expressed displeasure over inadequate remedial measures taken both by the Centre and the state and demanded a prompt damage-control strategy. More than a year down the line, the picture on JE front somewhat improved though, is still blurred. Despite the much-hyped intense immunisation drive carried out in 15 districts, the virus is wreaking havoc in the endemic pockets of Purvanchal. Nearly 324 patents suspected to be suffering from the JE have been admitted to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, and the number of casualties in the wards has reached 76. And amidst the rising concern among the local populace, the authorities claim that only six have died due to JE. Talking to TOI on Tuesday director, medical and health, Dr I Srivastava said that the casualties have come down remarkably this time and barring the six victims, the rest of the deaths were caused by acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) which, he said, was different from JE. A team of medical experts has been dispatched from Lucknow and a team from Delhi is also camping, he assured, as he added there was nothing to worry this year.Dr LP Rawat, additional director, health, Gorakhpur division, said that since January 1, 2008 till Monday, 324 patients of acute encephalitis syndrome from Basti and Gorakhpur division were admitted to Nehru Chkitsalaya in the medical college and 71 among them died during the treatment. Dr Rawat also said that out of the serum of 235 patients tested in virology lab Gorakhpur JE was found only in 11 samples. The fine distinction between JE and AES has only added to the confusion among the lay person. Dr KR Mathur, head of department of pathology and microbiology at the BRD Medical College claims that "in 2005, when the death toll had reached 2000, 68 percent were found to be JE positive'. In 2006-2007, the number was reduced to 6% but incidence of water-borne virus entero virus, especially Coxsacie, shot up. "This year the situation is entirely different,' said Dr Mathur. JE positive cases are confined to 4%, but a new virus seems to have hit the pocket. It could be a mutant virus,' he claimed. This brings one back to the high court order of February 1, 2007 which seems now almost prophetic. The court observed that "the disease which had taken the toll of 39 children or more in Kushinagar in December, 2006 has not been identified as yet. Even the experts do not know the cause of death of the 36 children. It shows that the governments do not have the capacity to even identify the disease.' And now, even as the government struggles to come to grip with the situation what has sent alarm bells ringing in the endemic area is the realisation that the actual JE season will begin only by August. This year, monsoon arrived early, says professor of paediatrics Dr KP Kushwaha. Talking to the TOI, he expressed apprehension that JE attack could be severe when the paddy crop gets ready and mosquito find their ideal breeding place in the inundated fields by August and September. In Fact, experts take the present scenario as a trailer of things to come.