The Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health yesterday warned people not to contact person with chickenpox which is highly contagious or it will leave you infected as the outbreaks of the disease spread widely.
People with chickenpox should ask for leave from work or school in seven to ten days to prevent the infection. People should wash their hands with soap regularly, use personal items separately and clean nose and throat with salty water everyday. People should tidy their house and school as well as disinfect items and toys.
Parents should take their children to medical facilities for vaccination against varicella. Chickenpox is a very contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Chickenpox occurs most frequently in the late winter and early spring.
Chickenpox is transmitted from person to person by directly touching the blisters, saliva or mucus of an infected person. The virus can also be transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing. Initial symptoms include sudden onset of slight fever and feeling tired and weak. These are soon followed by an itchy blister-like rash.
The Ministry said that unpredictable weather makes the development of chickenpox to be more complicated and there has been an increase in cases of infection. As per hospitals in the North, not only children but also adults should be rushed to hospitals because of the illness.
