As the month of Eid-ul-Azha has begun, you witness sacrificial cattle markets everywhere, people enjoying with their goats and cows and a wave of excitement in all the kids. In the midst of all the fun, we need to take great care of ourselves because the Congo fever has caused many casualties till now.
Congo Virus or Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease that infects the wild and domestic animals, including the livestock. This virus is transmitted through a tick that lives on the host animal. It is very generally seen in the ears of goats and on their hairy bodies.
In Karachi, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has taken 9 such cases since January 1. Even today, a 29 year-old-man was reported to reach the emergency department with fever and gums bleeding. The doctors have told Dawn that out of 9 CCFH patients 5 were cured, 2 died and the others were discharged on medical advice.
The disease is dangerous as it can be transferred from one person to another. This happens when a person comes into contact with the blood, body organs, secretions and other bodily fluids of the infected person. On the contrary, if you come into contact with the blood, meat and the tissues of an infected animal, you are likely to get Congo fever.
Therefore, it is really important to get this disease diagnosed at an initial stage. You’ll notice the following symptoms, as the disease hits a person.
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Sensitivity to light.
- High fever.
- Diarrhoea.
- Stomach pain.
- Muscle pain.
As the disease progresses, you may notice additional symptoms like insomnia, depression, jaundice, rashes on the skin, severe nose bleeds, and uncontrolled bleeding. Also, Congo fever is fatal up to 10-40%.
But you can protect yourself from this harmful disease by taking safety measures beforehand. What you and your children need to do now is;
- Wear light-coloured clothes with full sleeves for easy detection of ticks.
- Use insect repellent on the clothes and skin before going to the cattle markets.
- Examine your clothes and skin carefully, after coming home.
- Wash your clothes properly in Dettol or other approved chemicals.
- Wear plastic gloves while handling animals, especially during slaughtering and butchering.
- Treat your animal with pesticide.
- Avoid close contact with the infected person.
- Wash your hands regularly after visiting a sick person, or touching your animal.
Taking these precautions would reduce the risk of Congo fever. Hence, take special care of yourself and your animal too; because a slight carelessness can put you in a serious problem.
