As many as 1,591 cases of chickenpox have been reported in Punjab out of which the largest number of 821 cases reported in Faisalabad with 19 deaths during the current year.
Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir told media at a news conference, here on Tuesday that chickenpox known as a disease of children which cured within few days but this time adults have been affected and unfortunately due to multiple diseases/co-morbidity of the chickenpox patients, as many as 19 deaths have been reported in Faisalabad. "Two weeks back, the intensity of chickenpox disease in Faisalabad division was very high, however, the health department made effective measures and all the chief executive officers of the affected districts were taken on board and daily report sought from them regarding the situation," he said, adding: "The department has constituted a committee of senior professors for mortality audit of these deaths."
Imran Nazir claimed that chickenpox situation has been normalised in the province and very few cases are reported in different areas currently. During the current season, 1,591 cases of chickenpox have been reported in Punjab out of which the largest number of cases reported in Faisalabad ie 821 and 86 from Lahore, he said.
He said that Primary & Secondary Health Department had arranged vaccination for the health providers and all the contacts of the patients. He added that chickenpox has been declared as notify able disease and private hospitals and practitioners are required to report chickenpox cases to the health department. Special Secretary Health Dr Faisal Zahoor said that Health Information Management System has been placed in the department through which data of all such diseases is being gathered.