Fear of Congo Fever Spreading Ahead of Eid al-Adha; How Does the Disease Spread?
Tawazon – As livestock trading increases ahead of Eid al-Adha, health experts in Afghanistan are warning about a higher risk of the spread of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), known as Congo fever.
Health experts told Tawazon that the risk of infection also increases during the slaughtering and meat processing of animals after the Eid sacrifice.
Dr. Abdul Naseer Latifzai, a specialist in viral diseases told Tawazon that public awareness is essential to prevent infections. “People should understand how the virus spreads and take preventive measures before handling animals”,he said.
He said that Congo fever is a viral disease mainly carried by ticks that live on animals. When an infected tick bites a person, or when the virus enters the body through a wound, the infection can spread to humans.
According to to Dr. Latifzai, the disease usually begins with a sudden high fever, severe headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.
“If a patient does not receive medical attention quickly, the disease can become very serious within a few days and may even be fatal,” he said.
Dr. Misbah Sedaqat, an internal medicine specialist said there is no specific cure for Congo fever but supportive treatment can help patients recover.
“Patients are usually treated with fluids, monitoring and other supportive care. In some cases Ribavirin may also be used. The most important thing is prevention and public awareness”,he said.
The warning comes as livestock markets across Afghanistan become increasingly crowded ahead of Eid. Experts say many markets lack proper sanitation and health measures, increasing the risk of disease transmission
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also warned about the spread of Congo fever during the Eid days and said it is conducting livestock k market disinfection campaigns in cooperation with the World Haelth Organization and with support from the United Kingdom.
Health workers advise people involved in animal slaughter to wear protective gloves and and clothing, avoid direct contact with animal blood and properly dispose of animal waste to reduce the risk of infection.
Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever is a potentially fatal viral disease that was first identified in Crimea in 1944 and later discovered in the former Belgian Congo in 1956.
Scientists later confirmed that both outbreaks were caused by the same virus, and in 1969 the disease was officialy named Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF).