Preventive Measures Against Congo Virus Advised:Experts

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Augst,2016) : Health experts on Tuesday advised the citizens to take special preventive measures to protect from carrying Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). According to them, healthcare workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Congo virus, or handling specimens from them, should implement standard infection control precautions. These include basic hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe injection practices and safe burial practices. Dr Wasim Khawaja, a public health specialist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), said reducing the risk of tick-to-human transmission people should wear protective clothing like long sleeves or long trousers and wear light coloured clothing to allow easy detection of ticks on the clothes.

He said people should use approved chemicals intended to kill ticks on clothing, use approved repellent on the skin and clothing, regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks, if found, remove them and avoid areas where ticks are abundant and seasons when they are most active.

Dr Khawaja said in order to reducing the risk of animal-to- human transmission people should wear gloves and other protective clothing while handling animals or their tissues in endemic areas, notably during slaughtering, butchering and culling procedures in slaughterhouses or at home. He added to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community, people should avoid close physical contact with CCHF-infected people, wear gloves and protective equipment when taking care of ill people and wash hands regularly after caring for or visiting ill people.