Dr Khalid Randhawa, District Officer Health Department Rawalpindi, said that city administration was taking this threat seriously and recently held a meeting with officials of the livestock department to discuss the matter.
“We have asked the department to ensure that all animals being brought to urban areas be washed with water containing hypochlorite (a chemical that kills microorganisms),” he said.
“This will help remove ticks (ectoparasites) from the animals,” he added.
Ectoparasites are blood-feeding parasites that live on the skin, or can be found attached to hair follicles of animals. According to experts, these ticks are considered as the primary source of viral transmissions, including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).
Dr Randhawa said that these ticks could be found anywhere, but they were abundant in areas near water, which the animals visited frequently.
Moreover, the health department has asked the livestock department to set up animal markets far away from residential and commercial areas.
The local livestock department is also planning to launch a ‘Tick Eradication Campaign’ under which animals affected by ticks would be given injections. The campaign will be initiated to make the animals safer and prevent viruses from seeping into the local populace.
“Slaughtering of animals for Eid usually takes place in parks, streets and on roadsides. This increases the chances of people coming in contact with the blood tissue of an animal and we need to spread awareness about this,” Dr Randhawa said.
Experts suggested that CCFH was currently under control in Rawalpindi. They said that this was the peak time for its spread, and it would start declining once winter sets in. However, Dr Randhawa said that it was paramount that necessary information be imparted to people, especially butchers, as a precautionary measure against the life-threatening virus.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Javed Hayat, Incharge Infection Control Committee at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) said this year about 20 patients suspected of Congo fever virus were brought to the hospital. Out of these 10 tested positive. One of the 10, Taufeeq Ahmad, a resident of Pindi Gheb, lost his life due to the illness.
“Those that tested positive are Rasheeda from Attock, three doctors of the hospital, two staff members, one student and two ward boys,” he added.
“The nine surviving Congo positive patients are currently admitted in the hospital and their condition is stable,” he maintained.
Similarly, 12 cases have been identified in Rawalpindi district, including two in Attock, two in Rawalpindi city and eight in Chakwal. Health officials also expressed concern over the increase in Dengue cases in the Chakwal region, which remained unaffected by the disease last year.
However, health officials expressed satisfaction at the overall control of the epidemic saying that the ratio this year was much below last year.
Dr Randhawa said: “Last year, we had 20 cases [of dengue fever]. Only 12 patients have been identified so far.”
Giving out further details of the cases, Dr Javed Hayat, from Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, said that three patients were being currently treated for dengue at the government hospital. Before that 12 dengue patients were discharged after they got well. “Soon all of the patient would be shifted to wards made especially for dengue patients,” he added. Furthermore, Dr Bashir Ahmad, spokesperson Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi (BBHR), said that only one patient complaining of the virus came to BBHR.
He added that BBHR had set up its own laboratory to get swift results of blood samples. “It takes five to six days get test results from the National Institute of Health (NIH), but with this facility, we will be able to provide results in three days,” he said.
Officials said they were taking all necessary steps to curtail the spread of the disease. “We are trying to educate the people about preventive measures. We are also conducting regular fumigations in different localities,” said Dr Randhawa.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2010.
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