WITH Eidul Azha three weeks away, the influx of sacrificial animals, especially towards the urban centres, has begun. In Karachi alone, thousands of beasts have already arrived, while many more are on their way as the festival draws closer. It is imperative that authorities remain on their toes as with the presence of such large numbers of livestock close to the population centres, the risk of diseases such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is reasonably high. So far three people have died in Karachi over the last three weeks due to CCHF; the latest victim was a trader from Bahawalpur. In fact, CCHF has been a matter of concern for some time, especially in the past two years. Ten victims have succumbed to it. As per the global health body WHO, cattle, sheep and goats can serve as hosts for the virus. The latter is transmitted when individuals come into contact with the blood and tissues of infected animals; human-to-human transmission is also possible. The fatality rate can be as high as 40pc.

With so many cases over the past few weeks, the provincial and municipal authorities must remain alert. All sacrificial animals entering markets should be screened. As WHO recommends, chemicals should be sprayed to kill the ticks that carry the virus, while beasts found to be infected must be quarantined. Also, those who deal with livestock should wear protective clothing and use repellent on their skin and clothes. In fact, the authorities should carry out a public information campaign via the media until Eid to communicate preventive measures to livestock traders and those who work at cattle markets. There have also been calls for the enhancement of biosafety measures at hospitals while some experts say that to control the spread of CCHF, the focus of preventive efforts should be on the villages where livestock originates. There should also be inter-provincial coordination, as livestock traders often cross provincial borders on the way to market. And as a number of cases have originated in the Bahawalpur area, Punjab government officials need to pay special attention to this region. The administration in Sindh has announced several steps to combat CCHF; we hope the momentum is kept up until Eid so that further deaths are prevented. Moreover, livestock markets should be limited to designated areas; municipal authorities must remove illegal cattle pens that spring up inside cities and towns in the run-up to Eidul Azha.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2016