A woman (Name withheld) of Pathra village in Palamu is braving pustules in her left hand over the last 15 days. The medical officer in charge of the community health centre at Chainpur Dr Chaman Kumar Bhardwaj said the woman has 4 or 5 pustules in her left hand. Her palms are absolutely free and healthy which contradicts any viral onset.
These pustules are filled with puss said Bhardwaj. He said that they can't say pustules are filled with fluid. It is puss, he reiterated.
Samples of the puss along with the oro pharyngeal swabs, blood etc have been collected for the virological test in the National Institute of Virology Pune. The woman has no fever, reminded Bhardwaj.
Bhardwaj said this woman has no travel history. Two of her family members are with her and these two are hale and hearty.
Bhardwaj said the woman turned up at the community health centre Chainpur only on Wednesday where she was examined and later she was advised by the doctor there to get admitted into the CHC Chainpur. She refused to be admitted to the CHC Chainpur and went back home to Pathra.
Bhardwaj said we have taken the cell phone number of the family and her welfare and status of health is being inquired into quite regularly. He said we have no reason to describe this case as even suspected monkeypox.
Civil surgeon Palamu Dr Anil Kumar said the woman appears to be a chronic diabetic person as her blood sugar count is 300 plus.
Again the pustules are asymmetrical which means it is in just one limb and hence it can't be any viral case since in viral infection the eruptions are symmetrical and never asymmetrical. Here in the case of this woman it is asymmetrical.
The Civil surgeon said another important feature is that the woman has no bout of fever. Palamu administration has launched an information campaign about the monkeypox. DC Palamu Anjaneyulu Dodde has directed the health officials to create awareness about it without pressing any panic button.
Civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar said under the directive of the DC Anjaneyulu Dodde we are going to the masses at our primary health centres telling people if they have fever, blisters on the limbs and palms, bodyache, exhaustion,chillness etc they should present themselves before our health team instead of hiding it or going to some quacks.
About the precautions Dr Anil Kumar said "Let us make wearing masks our unbroken habit. If you wear a face mask, you wash your hands as well. So do it and maintain a distance from one having symptoms or resemblances to any viral infection."
He said "Linen, towel, gamcha, hanky, purse, wallet etc which are in constant use of the person affected by the infection should not be used by others for health reasons."
DC Palamu Anjaneyulu Dodde said he has asked the civil surgeon Palamu to ensure that 5 beds each should be kept in every CHCs here for persons who come with complaints about pustules etc.