How to avoid the dangerous Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever

Oman Monday 20/August/2018 14:51 PM
By: Times News Service
How to avoid the dangerous Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever

Muscat: With a large number of livestock expected to be slaughtered for Eid Al Adha ceremonies, Oman's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has warned the public about the dangers of contracting Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever through unhygienic practices.
"Animal health studies and research confirm that the transmission of many serious animal and common animal diseases may result from contact with the blood or tissues of the infected animal," said an official from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock Research at the ministry, asking people to only go to certified slaughterhouses this Eid Al Adha to avoid catching disease that may be spread by improper practices.
With cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever likely to be caused by eating meat from animals that have been improperly slaughtered, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries also listed the symptoms and causes of the disease.
"This is a virus that affects both humans and animals that is spread by ticks," said Ministry officials. "Symptoms in humans can include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea and/or diarrhoea, while there are no visible symptoms in animals. The rate of deaths varies between 10 and 40 per cent of infected people."
The virus spreads when you are bitten by an infected tick, through coming into contact with the blood or tissue of an infected animal or from exposure to the blood or tissue of an infected person. Preventive measures to avoid Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever include the use of Municipality slaughter houses to slaughter animals, avoiding touching or squashing ticks, ensuring that animals are free of ticks, wearing protective clothing and disposal of leftovers of slaughtered animals.