Srinagar, June 19: The authorities Saturday ruled out outbreak of measles in Harwan-Dara belt on the City outskirts.
  “There were no such cases and all the children suspected had already been immunized against measles under universal immunization programme. The locals have been asked not to pay heed to unnecessary outcry based on false assumptions and misinterpretation of signs and symptoms,” said Dr Muneer Ahmad Masoodi, Head of the Department, Community Medicine, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.
 “Moreover,” he said, “the residents and school authorities have been asked to report as a routine matter any fever with rash to nearest health facility for confirmation of measles, chicken-pox etc and taking appropriate preventive measures like home-isolation of confirmed cases for a week’s time.”
 Dr Masoodi said there has been so such case of measles in the area asking the people to be pro-active in improving public-health and sanitary conditions by keeping the surroundings clean and hygienic.
 He also asked the people to consume potable drinking water and bring their young children regularly for routine immunization on stipulated time to the health centres.
 Dr Masoodi said the clarification was made after an on-the-spot assessment of the area.
 “Rapid response teams (RRTs) of department of Community Medicine lead by Dr Iftikhar Munshi and Dr Salim Khan Saturday rushed to Dara and Fakir Gujri areas in Harwan zone on information received Friday evening from local health officials based on clinical complaints suspected by ASHA workers to be measles. The RRTs went house to house in both areas for verification of measles,” said an official handout.
 Meanwhile, school authorities in the City have been asked to “check immunization cards of new admissions for their immunization status.”

Lastupdate on : Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST