PESHAWAR: Hospitals in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were put on high alert due to a surge in chickenpox cases across several districts.
Health authorities issued this alert on Saturday for hospitals in the northern Chitral district and Khyber district, which is adjacent to the provincial capital.
Chickenpox Cases Reported
The provincial government took this precaution following a rise in chickenpox cases reported in the Mastuj and Tirah areas of the Khyber district. Similar trends have been observed in the Chitral district as well.
In response to the situation, KP Health Advisor Dr. Riaz Anwar has instructed relevant authorities to ensure the availability of medicines in both districts.
Earlier on Friday, the Caretaker Chief Minister of KP, Azam Khan, responded to reports of a chickenpox outbreak in the remote village of Harchin in the Upper Chitral district. He directed the Advisor on Health, Dr. Riaz Anwar, to implement effective measures for treating female students affected by the disease at a government school in Harchin village.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), characterized by an itchy, blister-like rash. The rash typically begins on the chest, back, and face before spreading to other parts of the body.
