KUWAIT CITY: Almost 270 cases of scabies disease have been recorded lately in the country. Among them, 200 cases were recorded in Adan Hospital and the remaining 70 were recorded in Jahra Hospital.

The recorded cases are within Ahmadi and Jahra governorates, while it is widespread in Khafji and Hafr Al-Baten areas along Saudi border. This revelation coincided with a series of cases recorded in several regions of Saudi Arabia, especially along the border of Kuwait.

There are growing concerns that the disease could spread massively across the country if not handled properly in accordance with the rules and regulations. This includes providing necessary treatment to the affected people and raising awareness among citizens and expatriates.

According to spokesperson of Ministry of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Shatti, individual cases within the country cannot be regarded as an epidemic. He assured that the authority will take necessary steps to wipe out the disease, raise the level of awareness and instruct doctors to treat affected people with authorized medications. Dr Al-Shatti did not rule out the possibility that several cases could be recorded without reaching the level of epidemic, especially since the ministry has enough medicines to deal with the disease.

However, an informed source said the Medical Stores Department does not have the creams and lotions necessary for treatment of scabies. He revealed that medicines that are available in the stores contain concentration of about five to ten percent of effective elements but the rate of effectiveness should be 25 percent for ensuring the cure of the disease.

The source explained that the ministry had 500 tubes of creams and lotions for scabies, but those were sent to the Central Prisons to treat inmates when the disease broke out among them about two months ago.

Those tubes were the last quantity in the stores. Since then the ministry has not made available another set of effective medicines. He declared that there are two types of medicines for curing the disease.

The first type is Bnozate or Benozyl, which has a concentration of about 10-15 percent, is less effective and is available in the stores. The second type is called Permethne which is highly effective with 25 percent concentration of the elements but is not available in the stores.

© 2018 Arab Times Kuwait English Daily. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).