Eid-ul-Azha: surveillance of animals to detect Congo virus under way

As arrival of sacrificial animals for upcoming Eid-ul Azha has started in the cattle markets set up in the provincial metropolis and other major cities, health and livestock authorities have adopted necessary measures to check spread of virus. Pursuant to the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, livestock department Punjab has started carrying out surveillance of cattle of sacrificial animals.
Likewise, health department has prepared standard operating procedures (SoPs) for treatment of suspects of Congo virus. "All out measures are being taken for prevention from Congo virus," official sources told Business Recorder. According to these sources there is no immediate threat of virus in Punjab but all precautionary measures are being taken. Special directives had been issued to all government hospitals to set up isolation wards for Congo patients. Further, provision of Personal Protection Kits to the doctors, nurses and other staff is being ensured.
Moreover, in the provincial metropolis, district administration has arranged spray in the cattle market while suspected animals are being vaccinated. The sources also claim that an effective awareness campaign regarding preventive measures against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is being launched in the province for cattle farmers, dealers of animals, butchers and medical staff of the hospitals involved in the treatment Congo fever patients.
Health professionals advised people to take special measures to protect themselves against Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Health care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Congo virus or handling specimens from them should take standard infection control precautions. These included basic hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe injection practices and safe burial practices.
They said that people should wear protective clothing like long sleeves or long trousers and light coloured clothes to allow easy detection of ticks. They said that people should use approved chemicals to kill ticks on clothing, use approved repellents on the skin and clothing, regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks, and if found, remove them, and avoid areas where ticks are found in abundance.
They said that the symptoms of Congo fever is somehow similar to dengue as the Congo fever is also a hemorrhagic fever, however, dengue is not transfer from man to man whereas Congo virus is transmittable from human to human.
It may be noted that Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a potentially fatal Zionistic infection that is spread by the bite of ticks which have fed on an infected animal or from exposure to infected blood or tissues during or immediately after slaughtering an infected animal. However, the infected animal may appear otherwise healthy and that eating or preparing meat from an infected animal is safe.