ISLAMABAD: Though people in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi mostly stop their children from playing with sacrificial animals due to the fear of the Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), health experts say there is no need to be panicked.

Professor of Microbiology Javaid Usman told Dawn that children can play with animals as the severity of the virus decreased with an increase in the temperature. He said ticks stopped laying eggs if the temperature crossed 34 degrees Celsius.

“Children have a natural tendency of playing with animals and they should not be stopped from it. However, after playing they should be advised to wash their hands and see if there are ticks on their dresses,” he said.

Congo Virus is a tick-borne viral disease with symptoms such as high fever, muscle pain, dizziness, abnormal sensitivity to light, abdominal pain and vomiting. Later, sharp mood swings may occur and the patient may become confused and aggressive. The patient can die if timely treatment is not provided to them.

Say severity of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus decreases with increase in temperature

Ticks remaining in the hair of an animal can infect it by biting due to which the saliva and blood of the animal is contaminated. People can be infected if they touch the saliva and blood of the infected animal. Moreover, the ticks can directly bite a person due to which the virus can be transferred to other people.

On Eidul Azha, a large number of animals are brought to the urban areas and also kept in houses. Such animals can become a source for the transfer of the virus.

But Prof Usman said there was nothing to worry about if the animal was apparently healthy. Temperature in Pakistan is so high that such viruses cannot survive. Moreover, ticks mostly remain in the hair of sheep but in high temperatures the hair of sheep are shorn.

“There is no need to fear while cooking the meat even if it has virus because the virus cannot survive the temperature in which the meat is cooked. Moreover, Congo virus has various life cycles. Sometimes it becomes dormant and then the next year can reemerge with severity,” he said.

“However, during the last few years there has been a decrease in the number of cases because the temperature remains high on Eidul Azha. The virus belongs to cold areas such as Crimea and becomes less affective during high temperatures. In the past we used to get animals from Afghanistan, which is a colder area, but now import of animals from Afghanistan has decreased,” he said.

A resident of I-10, Ehsan Ahmed, said he had heard that people should keep away from animals to avoid the Congo virus.

“I have three children and don’t want to take any risk by buying an animal. I have deposited cash in a mosque for a collective sacrifice and will get my share of the meat. I will not accept meat of a sacrificial animal from anyone,” he said.

“Though my children had been pushing me to buy a sacrificial animal, I convinced them not to buy one,” he said.

Another citizen, Meraj Khalid, said he was also confused if he should buy an animal or not.

Health expert at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that the Congo virus was not a new disease so the citizens should not get scared.

“People should wash the animals with a shampoo or any detergent and after that they can keep it at their homes. Every year on Eidul Azha, millions of animals are brought to markets for sale. It is not possible for the government to check each of the animals. So the citizens just have to wash the animals after which they can allow their children to play with them,” he said.

In reply to a question, Dr Khawaja said human beings had a very good immune system due to which a majority of people were not infected. According to an advisory issued by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Aug 15, since the beginning of this year a total of 59 suspected CCHF cases had been submitted to the NIH for testing. Out of these, eight cases were found positive and three of the patients died.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.