The Health Department has issued an alert in the wake of the increased incidence of chickenpox reported from different parts of Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
The Health officials said that the disease, caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), was highly contagious. Pregnant women, HIV-infected, newborn babies, and diabetics were likely to get the infection easily as they had less immunity, they said. People staying in groups such as hostel residents should be careful. They said that prior to the appearance of blisters, the infected would have severe body pain, back pain and giddiness.
The disease was spread through the secretion from the mouth and nose of affected persons. It would also spread when the affected people sneezed. The infection could spread from two days before the blisters appeared to 6-10 days after it appeared, they said.
Normally a person would be infected only once in a lifetime, but if the resistance of the body was affected, recurrent infection could not be ruled out, they said.
They advised that the infected people should avoid physical contact with others as the virus could spread quickly. Pregnant women should take extra care because infection during the 9th to 16th week of pregnancy could affect the baby.
Light food
According to the alert, the infected people should preferably eat light food with lots of vegetables, and drink a lot of water.
