Kathmandu, July 14 -- At least one person has died, and three others have been infected with Japanese encephalitis (JE) since the start of the monsoon some three weeks ago.

As monsoon rainfall has intensified, health officials anticipate more deaths and infections from the deadly virus in the coming days.

"One death and three cases of Japanese encephalitis have been confirmed in recent days," said Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the Immunisation Section at the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services. "The coming days will be more challenging, as vector-borne diseases, including JE, tend to spread during monsoon season."

JE is a viral brain infection endemic to Asia and parts of the Western Pacific. It is a mosquito-...