Congo Fever: Precautionary measures by PARC
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ISLAMABAD (APP): Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has organized an awareness seminar on 'Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) prevalence in Pakistan'.
The main objective of the event was to educate the participants about CCHF and adaption of the precautionary measures to avoid the breakout of virus for saving the precious lives.
Addressing the seminar, Chairman PARC, Dr. Nadeem Amjad urged the scientists to arrange such seminars across the country including universities for the awareness of general public about the congo fever.
He urged for taking appropriate measures to control and minimize the disease, besides opening up a window and help line to respond queries about the CCHF.
He also urged the need for highlighting the issue through electronic and print media for awareness and education about the disease at federal and provincial level.
Speaking on the occasion, FAO Coordinator said that PARC and Provincial governments are taking necessary steps to control this disease, adding that medicines are available to kill the animal ticks through spray and other methods.
He said people should be sensitized to use gloves to pick the ticks from animals and ensure proper disposal of these ticks.
On this occasion Dr. Umar Farooq, Senior Scientific Officer, Animal Health Programme PARC gave a detail presentation about the Congo fever and said that this disease was identified first time in Crimea (Russia) in 1944.
Later on, due to this disease a number of human deaths occurred in an African country Congo during 1954 and therefore this disease is called as "Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever".
In Pakistan, he said the disease was identified during 1978 and which was caused by Arbo Viruses and was transmitted through Hyaloma ticks of animals.
It is a zoonotic disease carried by several domestic and wild animals and are very less affected by this disease and their meat is safe for human consumption after cooking, he added.
It puts animal handlers, slaughter-house workers and agricultural laborers at highest risk in endemic areas with secondary transmission possible through contact with infected blood and other body fluids, he added.
Although, he said there is no proper vaccine available for this disease for either people or animal, but by proper and timely diagnosis and adopting preventive and safety measures it can escape from the disease.
