From the archive. Published on 3 April 2021 and not updated since. Figures and job titles may have changed.
THD NewsDesk, Gaya: Bihar’s Gaya district got hit by the highly contagious chicken-pox outbreak in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.
With hundreds of people in the Paraiya Khurd Block getting infected by the disease, the villages of Banshraj Bigha and Boknari have the highest number of patients. The virus varicella-zoster is highly transmissible in the unimmunized population and is currently infecting more than 100 people of the age group 2-80 years.
It takes around 10 - 21 days for the rash to appear on the body after it is exposed to the virus. Usually appearing first on the face, chest and back, the rash caused by the chickenpox infection develops along with fluid-filled blisters.
The village of a Uri martyr Sunil Kumar Vidyarthi, Boknari is blaming the district administration and state government of Bihar for inaction during the outspread. “No medical officer came to the village since the outbreak. The Government announced a Primary Health Center (PHC) in the village after my son got martyred”, said Mathura Prasad Vidyarthi.
“Without any medical assistance, the villagers have resorted to the age-old superstition of praying to the Goddess (Mata Rani). My 5-year old son did not receive any medical attention for a week after getting infected, so we are keeping him indoors”, Rahul Kumar of Boknari village told the media.
The civil surgeon in Gaya, Dr K K Rai told the media “the medical team took cognizance of the situation and went there for inspection on Friday. We have advised the villagers of Paraiya Block to keep the patients indoors and sanitize the area. Any action can only be taken after the reports from the medical team come in”.
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