Better to prevent: Seminar held on Congo virus prevention

Assistant Deputy Commissioner says over 80,000 animals have been sprayed

PESHAWAR: The district administration has launched an awareness campaign about the possible spread of Congo virus ahead of Eidul Azha in Peshawar.

An awareness seminar was held on Monday at Nishtar Hall where health experts and vets informed the participants about the possible risk of contacting Congo virus through sacrificial animals.

The event was held by the district administration in collaboration with the health and livestock departments.

Be mindful

On the occasion Livestock Department Deputy Director Dr Masoom Shah, who is also a vet, told the participants how animals transmit Congo virus to human beings through ticks known as Hyalomma.

He added st least 294 patients have died of the deadly virus in Pakistan between 1979 and 2016. He warned the participants that the chances of the virus spreading were high as Eidul Azha was around the corner.

The participants were also informed about how to protect themselves from contracting the virus while being near the animals.

Shah stressed light coloured clothes be worn during visits to cattle markets as ticks can easily be seen on them rather than on dark coloured clothes.

The doctor added Congo virus can be transmitted through several ways, including the direct bite of tick, liquid secretion of the animals, infected human beings and through direct contact of infected blood on the cuts.

A health expert, Dr Asif, urged the participants to wear gloves while sacrificing the animals.

He also said sacrificial animals be first kept hanging for at least three hours after they are slaughtered. “If preventive measures are not taken, the virus can easily affect humans especially children who stay close to sacrificial animals.”

Asif also urged the parents to avoid taking children to cattle markets as it increases the chances of transmission of the virus.

He said usually children play and touch different animals which increase the chance of contracting the virus.

While speaking at the seminar, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Shahid Mehmood said the government was trying to spray antiseptics on almost every animal that is brought to the market.

“Around 80,000 animals have been sprayed with the antiseptic spray on the entrypoint of the city”, Mehmood said. He also emphasised it isthe duty of the people who buy animals to call the spray teams. After the event, an awareness walk was also held by participants of the seminar.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2016.