Sameer Ahmad
Anantnag: The number of patients diagnosed of Hepatitis C in Walarhama Pahalgam Village in south kashmirs Anantnag District has reached 25. Forcing health department to launch a massive screening of the villages.
According to an health official almost 25 residents so far have been tested positive for hepatitis C.
Talking to the INS Abdul Rahim Wagay a local resident said that few days before they informed the district health authorities about the outbreak the officials from health department started screening in whole village to spreading of virus.
Sources told to INS that the health department has started screening from medical block salar in said village where the virus has engulfed almost entire villages.
Two of my family members have tested positive said Abdul Rahim Wagay, added that “This outbreak has involved all most every family here, my wife, Daughter in law have tested positive few days back.” adding his neighbors also tested positive were they not started yet treatment.
Another local resident Abdul Majeed Sheikh said that few days back the health authorities conveyed us message through loudspeakers in village and said that to do a test, here have spread viral disease we went to the camp and did that test.
Talking to the INS BMO Salar did not comment on this issue and said that we have already deputed their Medical Teams who have been conducting screening test in village.
“I don’t accept these tests till the confirmatory test by government labs is not done,” he said, but did confirm the disease is Hepatitis C.
Chief Medical Officer Anantnag, Dr Fazil Kochak said that we are screening the said village and can’t share data.
“Our department is conducting a mass screening in village. After we complete the screening in village we will share the data,” he added.
