says the likelihood of chickenpox is high
Suhail Khan
Baramulla : Authorities said on Tuesday that there is no such confirmation of monkeypox cases in Kashmir’s northern region.
According to Kashmir Despatch Correspondent, chief medical official Baramulla Bashir Ahmad Malik, who dismissed reports of monkeypox as unfounded, there is currently no such confirmation about this virus.
The medical officer said teams from the centre as well as from the directorate visited Uri on Monday where reports of monekypox were spread. He said that to be on the safe side, we took two samples and clinically it is said to be chickenpox.
According to the medical officer, preventive measures have already been taken for the safety of people in border villages, and instructions have been given to all schools to follow health guidelines for precautionary measures.
He said earlier too, reports of monkeypox were spread in north Kashmir’s Pattan, but later it turned into chickenpox.
The officer also appealed to people not to worry as there are high chances of chickenpox only.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, but with less severity.
The symptoms include acute skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, body aches, and profound weakness.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Monday, BMO Boniyar Dr Parvaiz Masoodi, quoted by news agency KNO, said that eight suspected cases of monkeypox were reported, saying samples of two people with severity have been sent for screening.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
