At least 85 people have died of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Assam in the last two months, according to the health department.

As many as 390 cases of the infection have been reported since July this year in the state.

JE is a viral brain infection that spreads through mosquito bites. The virus, found in pigs and birds, is passed to mosquitoes when they bite infected animals.

With the surge in JE cases over the past few months, a District Rapid Response Team was formed in July to deal with the situation.

All Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines communicated by the National Health Mission (NHM) are being followed in the districts for case detection, management and referral, official sources said.