M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, April 20: WHO Palamu has stepped up its search and surveillance following incidences of fever and red spots on the human body, triggering fear of an outbreak of measles.
Sources said there are incidences of fever and red spots on peoples’ bodies in the Palamu and Garhwa districts.
18 incidents of the symptoms of measles were reported in a few families while 7 single cases were also reported in Palamu.
Garhwa has one outbreak and one single case of the suspected measles. Latehar has only one single case of the suspected measles.
WHO surveillance medical officer Dr Mrityunjay Singh has confirmed the detection of cases of fever and red spots called maculopapular rash in all the 3 districts Palamu, Garhwa and Latehar. He described cases like that of suspected measles.
“We are on trial for such cases and have asked people to report it to the nearest health institution,” he said.
Dr Mrityunjay Singh said people should not panic if they have the symptoms of measles. They should report it to the health hubs and maintain good hygiene.
Asked that high fever, red spots on the trunk (chest and back), tiredness, sore throat, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes etc remind one of the eruptions of the measles to which WHO officer said, “At this stage, we call it a suspected case till blood samples do not test positive for measles.”
The test for measles is done at RIMS Ranchi.
Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It has no age bar and can strike either a child or an adult.
Dr. Mrityunjay said if there is any onset of these symptoms in a family then the members must maintain distance from the person affected or afflicted with the symptoms. There should not be any touch or sharing of food and drinks with the person.
WHO officer Dr Mirtunjay Singh said, “We eradicated polio and strive hard to keep it away. Likewise, we are geared up for the elimination of the measles also.”
Dr Mirtunjay said Vitamin A syrup comes free at the government health hubs and it should be taken. Shots of measles-rubella are a weapon to fight measles.
On contacting Garhwa civil surgeon Dr Kamlesh Kumar, he said, “We understand where such bouts of fever and red spots appear on the body, the WHO gets on with its job. We have got 5 such cases at village Arsali under Bhawnathpur block. As the number of cases is 5, technically it is an outbreak of fever and red spots.”
“We have sent all the 5 blood samples to RIMS Ranchi in which 3 samples have tested measles negative, 1 tested positive and 1 is pending there,” said the Garhwa CS.
