ISLAMABAD: National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory, on Friday, on prevention and control of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) for upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
According to NIH, the objective of this advisory was to sensitize 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 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 to 40 per cent.
It added that the ticks, especially of the Hyalomma genus, are both a reservoir and a vector for the CCHF 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.
The advisory said that although Balochistan remains the most affected province, cases have been reported from almost all parts of the country.
During 2016, out of 101 confirmed cases, 33 patients died. During 2017, till date, a total of 41 confirmed cases have been reported including 16 from Balochistan, 15 from Punjab, seven from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and three from FATA.
The advisory said that the virus is transmitted to the people either through tick bites or through contact with the infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughtering them.
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 the above mentioned, people close to or taking care of a suspected patient, and individuals involved in burial practices are also at a risk of getting infected, it added.
There is currently no vaccine available for humans and the only way to reduce infection is by raising awareness.
The advisory further added that public health advice should focus on several aspects including wearing protective clothing – such as long sleeves and trousers. People should be advised to wear light coloured clothes during a visit to the animal market to allow easy detection of ticks, and to regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks and if found, removing them safely and using approved 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.
They have also been asked to avoid close physical contact with infected people, wearing gloves and protective equipment when taking care of them. People are also asked to wash hands frequently during caring or after visiting a patient.
The advisory stated that insect repellents are the most effective in warding off ticks in human populations.
