Chickenpox spreads like wildfire in labour accommodations

Dubai: Lack of proper quarantine facilities for patients are causing rampant spread of chickenpox in labour accommodations in Sharjah.

Many workers told Gulf News that they fear catching the virus as infected colleagues live in adjacent rooms in the camp and worse still, share the same bathrooms.

"There are more than 400 people living in our accommodation in Sharjah, and around 30 to 40 people have already been infected. The virus is still spreading because patients are not isolated from the rest of us," said Kutti, a construction labourer.

He said those with infections are made to sleep on the floor outside the rooms, and other workers live in constant fear of catching the infection.

"It is a very bad situation. For us things are worse because many of us do not have medical insurance. We are also not entitled to medical leave," pointed out Kutti.

Baburaj, another worker said though chickenpox patients are put up in two separate rooms in his accommodation, they use common bathrooms.

"We are forced to use the same bathrooms as they do because there are no other facilities. We want to take vaccines, but doctors said it would cost at least Dh200, and we have no medical insurance to cover the cost," said Baburaj who works for a construction firm.

Those who have caught the disease complained they are not getting medical assistance, and also stand to lose their pay for their days of absence from work as they have no benefits like medical leave.

"I got the infection from the camp, and I cannot take an anti-viral drug because I cannot afford it. Now the company is telling me that they will not pay me for the days I did no go for work as I am not entitled to medical leave," said a worker who requested anonymity.

He said currently there are 16 workers infected in his accommodation near the National Paints roundabout in Sharjah, and no one is vaccinated.

Supervisors disagree

But camp supervisors claimed that workers who have chickenpox are given separate rooms, and are provided with medical care.

"In our camp, the infection was brought in by some workers who recently came from India. Now we have instructed our agents to vaccinate them before they come to the UAE," said a camp supervisor.

Medical clinics in the area confirmed that they are attending to an increasing number of chickenpox cases since last two months, and that most of the workers have no medical insurance.

"The virus has been there since January. But the number of cases have increased in the past two months. In many instances, we are not able to give the anti-viral drug to patients because they do not have medical insurance, minimum of which will come up to Dh250," said a general practitioner based at Sunny Medical Clinic in Sharjah Industrial area.

Health authorities in Sharjah said they have instructed medical facilities to report all cases of chickenpox infections to the government as chickenpox is considered a highly contagious disease.

"According to the regulations, all cases of infections are to be reported to us, and patients should be kept in strict isolation in order to prevent the spread of the disease,' said Dr Gamil Torky, Head of Preventive Medicine department in Sharjah.

He added that it has been brought to their attention that secondary cases of infection has been considerably high in places like labour accommodations.

He said that the department has visited labour accommodations, and has found that the health conditions unsatisfactory.

What is chickenpox?

Caused by varicella virus

- Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the herpes zoster virus, Varicella, that causes eruption of itchy blisters all over the body.

- It spreads from person to person by direct contact or through the air.

- A person with chickenpox is contagious 1-2 days before the rash appears and until all blisters have formed scabs.

- It takes from 10-21 days after contact with an infected person for the disease to develop.

- Once a person is infected, he develops life time immunity to chickenpox.

- Varicella vaccine is highly effective in protecting against severe chickenpox.