Tema, March 29, GNA - Mr. Harvey Akafu, Tema Metropolitan Health Information Officer on Thursday advised against using sea sand and other

objects to scratch their bodies when they have chicken pox attack as it has no medical bases.

Mr Akafu said the habit of bathing with sea water and scratching the affected place with substances does not accelerate the healing process as being speculated but rather complicated the infection. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema he said the practice as it is dangerous as more germs is introduce into the body through the act.

He explained that the more the papules and vesicles (chicken pox rashes) are scratched, the more the virus spread in the body therefore recommended that only prescribed medications should be used for its treatment. Giving the number of chicken pox cases recorded in the metropolis during 2007, he said a total of 1,057 cases were reported at the various health centres.

The Health Information Officer further indicated that Tema General Hospital recorded the highest number of 311 cases while the Kpone Health Centre recorded the lowest of 41 cases. For early detection and treatment of chicken pox, Mr Akafu advised the public to report any severe fever to a health facility as it was a major symptom of the disease.

Advising people to encourage their relatives to seek treatment for the disease, he said, even though the body becomes immune to the chicken pox virus after receiving proper treatment during an infection, one can be infected when he/she is exposed to more of the virus.