Madhya Pradesh: Measles outbreak in Narsinghpur district, 113 children show symptoms

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Measles outbreak has been reported in Chichali village of Narsinghpur district where around 107 children up to 5 years, were found showing symptoms of the highly contagious infection with rashes, cold and fever. Six of the children have been tested positive for the virus, according to health department officials.  

District administration has constituted a task force to have a close vigil on the situation. In all 113 children in different villages of the districts have been found showing signs of infection; 107 alone in Chichali.

Chief block medical officer Dr Shipra Kaurav said, out of 113 suspected children, 6 were found to be MR (ORI-Outbreak Response Immunization) positive.

“On receiving the complaint of infection, 3,671 houses were surveyed. Out of 1,999 children (in the age group of 9 months to 5 years) found in these villages, 1,737 children were given additional vaccines of MR, said the official.

On January 9, on receiving information about a child having Measles, a survey was conducted in the vicinity. In the survey, 24 children were found showing signs of Measles on January 10. In the next three days their number grew to 46. Of these, the reports of 6 children being MR positive were received on January 13.  The reports of 13 samples of children are yet to come. All the suspected children were treated symptomatically and given two doses of Vitamin A, the condition of these children is stable.

From January 14-16, as many as 1,737 ORI doses were administered in a radius of 5 kilometers of Chichli. An action plan has been prepared to vaccinate children of 5 to 10 years of age for MR.

Survey conducted in

The team of health and family welfare department conducted a survey in villages Thalwada, Dahalwada, Chichli, Sudras, Khairi, Sukhakhairi, Adegaon, Chargaon, Baglai, Mau, Kothia, Gangai, Chenakchhar, Bandarbarru. The children were vaccinated during the survey.

Nagpur connection

The situation is under control and we are keeping a close vigil, said National Health Mission (NHM) Dr Santosh Shukla. “Our team visited the villages and conducted the survey. The families from these villages had visited Nagpur where Measles outbreak has been reported.”  As the children were suffering from fever and rashes, there was an urgent need to boost their immunity and so we provided vitamin tablets to them, said Shukla. MR vaccine dose has also been to protect them against Measles.

Published on: Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 10:26 PM IST