West Bengal govt alerted as smallpox breaksout in B'desh, Myanmar

New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) The Centre today issued an alert to the West Bengal Government after the reported outbreak of small pox in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The initial alert was issued by the External Affairs Ministry to the West Bengal government which has started screening all the people coming to the state from the neighbouring countries for possible infection of the viral disease, which has been earlier reported to be eliminated from across the world by the World Health Organisation.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who is in Chennai, said over telephone that the communique has been sent to the state government by the External Affairs Ministry.

He said though the small pox outbreak has not yet been confirmed, the government was taking all possible precuationary steps. He said a close watch was being maintained so that the viral disease did not spread.

UNI