Measles: 13 cases in twin cities

ISLAMABAD:

A total of 13 measles cases were confirmed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi together on Thursday, while another 13 suspected cases were reported in the federal capital.

According to the virology laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH), out of the 13 confirmed cases, 11 are from Islamabad and two from Rawalpindi.

Eleven suspected cases are from Bhara Kahu area, where five cases of measles were also reported on Wednesday. Each of the remaining two suspected cases, surfaced from G-8 and G-9 sectors of the federal capital.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed termed the situation as ‘not alarming’, saying that almost every year the same numbers of cases are reported during winters.

Ahmed added that a control room will be established at the National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Network (NHEPRN) on Friday to gather complete information about the disease along with patient history.

Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD) Secretary, Riffat Shaheen Qazi has also called a meeting on Friday (today) to get an overall view on the number of measles cases received by the federal hospitals.

When contacted, Executive District Officer (EDO) Health, Rawalpindi, Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal, denied the emergence of any measles case saying that so far none have been reported from the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2013.