PESHAWAR: The livestock and dairy development department has issued an advisory and started taking measures to prevent transmission of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) ahead of Eidul Azha.

The health department has also issued guidelines on case detection and management, asking the hospitals to send samples of suspected patients to the Public Health Reference Laboratory of Khyber Medical University for free testing.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported three suspected cases of Congo this year so far. Last year, four people had died of the disease in the province.

The advisory issued from the office of director general of livestock and dairy development to all districts said that CCHF, a viral zoonotic disease causing severe haemorrhagic fever and human casualties, was transmitted from animals to humans through tick bites and contact with infected blood. The risk of spread of the disease increases with mass animal movements and animals contact.

Livestock dept has issued advisory besides spraying acaricides on animals at cattle markets and crossing points

The director general of livestock and dairy development, Dr Alamzeb Khan Mohmand, told Dawn that district focal persons were nominated for coordination with stakeholders to ensure spraying animals at formal and informal border crossings.

“Checkpoints have been established in the districts adjacent to Punjab province to ensure that all animals entering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are properly treated with acaricides to kill ticks,” he said.

He said that veterinary camps were set up at entry points of districts and animal markets while acaricides were being sprayed on all animals. “We are also using mobile veterinary clinics in addition to issuing awareness messages to butchers and general public to ensure that animals are slaughtered at least three to seven days after the spray and inoculation,” he added.

Dr Alamzeb said that awareness campaigns also included displaying banners and radio and social media talks to highlight preventive steps for CCHF. These activities would remain in progress till Eid.

Dr Irshad Ali Roghani, the director public health at directorate general health services, told Dawn that the chances of CCHF escalated ahead of Ediul Azha and preventive measures could control it.

The disease is usually transmitted by ticks to humans and through contact with infected animal via blood. It is spreadable from human-to-human via blood contact. The bites by ticks found in the animals also cause the infection.

“Any person with sudden onset of fever over 38C° or more for three and less than 10 days with haemorrhagic symptoms and animal contact history from CCHF endemic area can be a patient of the disease,” said Dr Irshad. The antiviral drug ribavirin has been used to treat CCHF infection and both oral and intravenous formulations seem to be effective.

He said that in the absence of vaccine, the only way to reduce infection in people was to decrease risk factors and educate community on preventive measures.

“We have asked people to adhere to protective measures while visiting animal markets. The CCHF’s transmission can be avoided by wearing protective clothing, including long sleeves and trousers. Use of light-coloured clothes is also advised to allow detection of ticks easily,” said Dr Irshad.

He said that people should regularly examine their clothes to remove ticks if they found. He has also suggested use of insects repellent and avoiding the places where ticks are found.

He said that they were in contact with livestock department to implement prevention and control measures and supervise anti-ticks spray in cattle markets of the province.

Dr Irshad said that several types of wild and domestic animals such as goats, sheep, cows and hares served as amplifying hosts for the virus, which caused viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks. The case fatality rate of the disease is 10 per cent to 40 per cent.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2023