NIH issues warning against Congo virus

Says fear of haemorrhagic fever is high with the arrival of sacrificial animals ahead of Eidul Azha

ISLAMABAD: National Institute of Health (NIH) on Friday issued an advisory on prevention and control of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) ahead of Eidul Azha.

According to NIH, the objective of this advisory was to sensitise human and animal health care authorities to further strengthen and improve the level of preparedness in prevention and control of CCHF.

The advisory, which was issued by the NIH’s Field Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Division, said that the CCHF is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family with a case fatality rate of 10-40 per cent.

It added, ticks, especially of the Hyalomma genus are both reservoir and vector for the CCHF virus while numerous wild and domestic animals, such as cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep are silent carriers of this virus and the adult ticks feed on these animals.

It said that although Balochistan remains the most affected province, yet cases have been reported from almost all geographical regions of the country.

During 2016, out of 101 confirmed CCHF cases, 33 patients died (with CFR 33%). During 2017 till date, a total of 41 confirmed cases have been reported including 16 cases from Balochistan, 15 from Punjab, seven from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and three from FATA.

It said that the CCHF virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter.

Public health workers along with animal herders, veterinarians, para-veterinary staff, livestock workers, animal merchants, butchers and slaughterhouse workers are at risk of the disease.

Apart from them the close contacts caring the suspected case and person involved in burial practices are also at risk of getting infection, it added.

There is currently no vaccine available for humans and the only way to reduce infection is by raising awareness.

The advisory said that public health advice should focus on several aspects including wear protective clothing (long sleeves, long trousers), wear light coloured clothing during visit to animal market to allow easy detection of ticks on the clothes and regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks and if found, remove them safely and use approved acaricides or repellents on clothing and skin.

Similarly, citizens have been asked not to crush the ticks, wear gloves and other protective clothing while handling animals or their tissues, notably during slaughtering, butchering and culling procedures in slaughterhouses or at home.

Quarantine

They have also been asked to avoid close physical contact with CCHF-infected people, wear gloves and protective equipment when taking care of ill people, wash hands frequently after caring or visiting ill people and insect repellents are the most effective in warding off ticks in human populations.

It said that safe burial practices included spraying the dead body with liquid bleach solution and then wrapping in winding sheet.

The winding sheet should be sprayed with bleach solution, then the body should be placed in a plastic bag, which should be sealed with adhesive tape and disinfect the transport vehicle and burn all clothing of the deceased.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2017.