The health ministry explained that shingles is caused by a viral infection resulting from the reactivation of a previous infection with the chickenpox virus.
The ministry indicated that the signs and symptoms of the disease usually appear on only a small part of one side of the body, accompanied by severe pain, burning, numbness or tingling and sensitivity to touch.
He noted that symptoms also include a rash a few days after the pain begins, fluid-filled blisters that open and crust, itching, and some people also experience fever, headache, sensitivity to light, and fatigue.
He stressed that the shingles vaccine is the best means of prevention, which is administered in two doses, to the over 18 and over 50, stressing that in case of immune diseases a person takes immunosuppressive drugs.
