Measles spreads to other local areas of Banke

BY SIRAJ KHAN,Nepalgunj, Jan.20: The outbreak of measles has spread to Khajura Rural Municipality, Kohalpur Municipality and Narainapur Rural Municipality from Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City. 

The outbreak first noticed in Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City-7 two weeks ago has now spread in 19 of 23 wards of Nepalgunj before spreading to three other local levels in Banke district. 

With the rapid spread of measles, control campaign has also been intensified. Under the campaign, more than 53,000 children have already been vaccinated against measles in the four affected local levels.

According to Naresh Shrestha, focal person of the Health Office Banke, measles infection had been confirmed in 218 children in the district so far. 

The infection has spread in four local levels of the district, he added. 

He said that vaccination programme was being carried out along with an awareness campaign and search for the infected people to protect children from the infection. 

So far, 39,240 children in Nepalgunj and 14,413 children in Khajura had been vaccinated and preparations are being made to administer the vaccine in Narainapur and Kohalpur, said Shrestha.

According to the Sub Metropolitan City Office, Nepalgunj had the highest number of measles infections. 

Of 23 wards in Nepalgunj, 19 wards have been affected by measles, said Ram Bahadur Chand, head of the Sub Metropolitan City’s health division.

According to the Health Office Banke, the measles has spread in 19 wards of Nepalgunj, one ward each in Narainapur and Khajura and two wards in Kohalpur. 

Similarly, 191 people were infected from the disease in Nepalgunj, 13 in Narainapur, two in Kohalpur and three in Khajura. 

The health office said that 150 people of the total infected had recovered so far, 58 are receiving treatment at home and one person died of the disease. 

It had been informed that 39,240 children of Nepalgunj and 14,411 children of Khajura were vaccinated against measles-rubella.

 It is said that preparations are underway to vaccinate the children of all other affected local levels. According to the health office, they have started vaccination programme against measles and rubella since January 6 for the children aged between 6 months and 15 years.