Atleast eight people died because of encephalitis and 16 others are suffering from the disease in upper Assam's Sibsagar district since the last 15 days threatening to rapidly spread in the area.
The victims were people living along the Assam-Nagaland Meghalaya border where encephalitis had killed eight people so far, official sources said on Saturday.
The seriously ill had been shifted to the Assam Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Dibrugarh district, the sources said. Stating the district administration was taking all possible measures to prevent further spread of the disease, the sources said, a special medical team was sent by the state government to the affected area for survey to take appropriate preventive measures.
Considering the prevailing situation along with incidence of diseases like malaria and jaundice on the rise, the sources said, the administration was also considering of declaring the district as an encephalitis prone area.