Overview
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who outlined the plan Wednesday, said the state is fast-tracking vaccination, surveillance and public awareness to block Japanese encephalitis.
- Official data show two cases in 2022, five in 2023, five with two deaths in 2024 and seven with one death in 2025, with no cases reported through March 2026.
- Between April 2025 and February 2026, coverage reached 89.26% for first doses and 78.68% for second doses, with weaker second-dose uptake in parts of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Raigad.
- Diagnosis and care have expanded with five sentinel centres in Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Sevagram, Bhandara and Gondia and paediatric ICUs active in 16 districts.
- Prevention now focuses on fogging, tracking Culex mosquitoes, releasing guppy fish in breeding sites, sanitation drives and urging parents to finish two-dose schedules and seek quick care for fever or seizures.