Upshot in measles cases in Banke

The cases of measles are on the rise in Banke, the Terai district in Lumbini Province. According to District Health Office, Banke’s focal person Naresh Shrestha, so far 209 measles patients have been reported from across the district.

The highest number 191 belongs to Nepalgunj followed by 13 in Narainapur rural municipality, three in Khajura rural municipality and two in Kohalpur municipality.

So far, the district reports 150 recovery cases and one death since the outbreak of measles epidemic. Fifty are recovering at home.

Following the rising cases of the disease in Narainapur, vaccination against measles and rubella viruses has been launched since Thursday targeting children from six months to 15 years of age, according to Narainapur health coordinator Nagendra Kumar Shah. “We target to vaccinate around 14,022 children during the campaign,” he said.

Narainapur chair Istiyak Ahamad Shah said the vaccination campaign aims to take the measles epidemic under control. The issues takes an epidemic turn due to lack of public awareness about vaccinations against measles, according to him.