Jharkhand: Measles and pertussis cases are reported in Garhwa

About 40 cases of measles have been detected in Majhiaon block of Garhwa district. Garhwa District Reproductive and Child Health Officer Dr. Sandhya Topno confirmed that 40 measles cases have been identified in Majhiaon, and they will be given all medical assistance.

She said that there are cases of pertussis (whooping cough) and also said, “I had one such case of whooping cough n a child from whom swab samples were taken from nose and throat along with blood and sent to an accredited laboratory in Kolkata to WHO.

Dr. Topno urged families not to hide any episode of measles or whooping cough, as government hospitals and community health centers are committed to providing necessary medical assistance. WHO Medical Surveillance Officer in Palam Dr. Mirtunjay Singh has warned health officials of Palamu, Garhwa and Latehar to "stand and act" against measles and whooping cough as outreaks of both are now reported in Palamu and Garhwa districts while Latehar district is still reported has no report of such an occurrence.

Correspondent spoke with WHO medical surveillance officer Dr. Singh to know the incidence rate of these two, measles and whooping cough. Dr. Singh said, “Last year we collected 28 or 29 samples out of which 6 were positive for whooping cough in Garhwa and Palam. Similarly, there was an equal number of positive measles cases.

"Five weeks have passed this year, and we already have five suspected cases of whooping cough, which means there is one case of whooping cough per week," the WHO doctor warned. A WHO medical surveillance officer said it is a wake-up call for measles and whooping cough in Palamu and Garhwa districts. Confirmation of whooping cough takes time as the nasopharyngeal swab and blood samples have to be sent to Kolkata and test reports come after about a week, Dr Singh said.

For measles, a confirmatory test is available at Ranchi RIMS, but if the samples from a person affected by measles were collected within seven days of the onset of measles infection, the confirmatory test will be a swab and a urine test, but after seven days, blood samples will also be tested in addition to the swab and urine test. 

Sources said the WHO warning against measles and whooping cough has come at a time when contract ANMs and other NRHM paramedics are on a nationwide strike for the past three weeks or so, which has had the worst impact on health services.