CDG declares emergency in Multan

Congo cases

MULTAN: The City District Government has imposed emergency in the district after increasing number of Congo infected patients at the Nishtar Hospital.

The CDG has cautioned health, livestock and other departments to remain red alert to meet emergency situation regarding Congo virus. The CDG has ordered immediate shifting of all cattle-sheds from urban areas to outside, officials said. The CDG has imposed Section 144 and ban the selling of animals’ skin in urban areas to prevent spread of Congo virus.

The CDG has planned establishing six sacrificial animals markets outside the urban area to prevent possible spread of Congo virus. The screening of animals and anti-Congo sprays would be conducted on daily basis at all sacrificial animals markets. The screening camps are established at entry and exit points of the city and no animal would be allowed to enter without anti-Congo spray. The sellers would be provided special stickers after spray as Congo free clearance.

Meanwhile, speaking at a Congo prevention meeting here, DCO Nadir Chattha ordered the respective officers for taking stringent measures to avoid from Congo attack. He ordered providing gloves, masks and special kits to buyers come to purchase sacrificial animals in the markets.

The CDG has advised the citizens to wear gloves and masks when visit to sacrificial animals market and avoid children from playing with animals. The Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread tick-borne viral disease that is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia. The virus belongs to a group called Nairovirus causes Congo. The virus infects wild as well as domestic animals like sheep and cattle through tick bites.

Humans are infected when they come in direct contact with blood or tissues from infected animals or bites of infected ticks. The people work in close contact with livestock such as those working in agriculture, slaughterhouses and veterinary hospitals, are at a higher risk of acquiring the disease. Once a human is affected, the infection spreads to other people if they come in contact with the patient’s infected blood or body fluids. The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease that spreads through tick bite. The disease is more common in Africa, Asia, East Europe and the Middle East.