Careless attitude: Congo, dengue outbreak feared after Eid break

Authorities unaware of using spray for killing ticks

ISLAMABAD: The fatality rate from Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Pakistan is alarmingly high at 70% because of a lack of awareness among the public as well as professionals, according to health experts.

So far 17 people have fallen victim to the fatal Congo virus. Of them 10 died in Quetta, six in Karachi and one in Rawalpindi.

“Congo fever is endemic in Pakistan and out of every ten reported cases at least seven are dying,” a senior vector control expert at Lahore’s Contech School of Public Health, Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Rana tells The Express Tribune. “Even the authorities concerned are unaware of the use of spray for killing ticks and place where they should take the animal for disinfection,” he said.

It is sad to see that they are doing thermal fogging for killing ticks which is wrong, he said.

“There is a need to do cold fogging for killing ticks while taking them  into an isolated area and keep them there for some time,” said Prof Rana.

He said thermal fogging only kills mosquitoes, but not ticks. “Ticks when inhale thermal spray they fall unconscious and after sometime become active again,” he said.

Only appropriate spraying technique should be employed – both for cattle and on the ground, where ticks are expected to fall after the sheet of spray. This will keep animals away from unnecessary allergies and ensure elimination of ticks finding an escape in cracks and crevices. It would also make sure that drug resistance among the ticks remains at its minimum.

He suggested that there should be some arrangement for a temporary quarantine to eliminate ticks by integrated vector management technique.

Only after the elimination of ticks, animals should be allowed to enter in the market for sale. The quarantine area should also be sprayed to eliminate shed ticks. Handler must observe all preventive measures to avoid tick bites.

Awareness among the masses regarding risk factors is equally important and should be an integral part of the CCHF management, he said.

Dengue fever

Health experts have warned of potential threat of an outbreak of dengue if precautionary measures are not taken during Eid holidays.

An official from the Punjab health department, who wished not to be named, said people travelling from cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi from where dengue cases are being reported should take extra preventive measures.

“A dengue positive person travelling to another place poses a threat of its spread,” he said.

After biting a dengue positive patient, the mosquito becomes dengue positive and bites many people in the nearby areas, he said and added that though so far dengue fever is under control; however, a slight carelessness may be harmful.

He suggested that there is a need to use mosquito repellents and nets during this season. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2016.