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Maharashtra's Palghar district on alert over Congo fever; all you need to know

The Palghar administration on Tuesday asked authorities to stay alert against a possible spread of the Congo fever in the Maharashtra district.

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The Palghar administration on Tuesday asked authorities to stay alert against a possible spread of the Congo fever in the Maharashtra district.

The Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), commonly known as the Congo fever, spreads in humans through infected ticks or animal blood. CCHF can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.

The district administration said in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, this is a matter of concern for cattle- breeders, meat-sellers and animal husbandry officials. Therefore, it is necessary to take timely precautions as there is no specific and useful treatment for the CCHF.

Palghar animal husbandry department's deputy commissioner Dr Prashant D Kamble in a circular said the CCHF has been found in some districts of Gujarat and is likely to spread to border districts of Maharashtra.

Palghar is close to Gujarat's Valsad district.

The department has instructed authorities to take all necessary precautions and implement preventive measures.

"This viral disease is transmitted from one animal to another by a specific type of tick. The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with the blood of infected animals and by eating the meat of infected animals," the circular said.

"If the disease is not diagnosed and treated in time, 30% of patients die," it said.

About the Congo fever

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family.

The CCHF virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with a case fatality rate of 10–40%.

CCHF is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asian countries.

There is no vaccine available for either people or animals against the disease.

Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons.

The majority of cases have occurred in people involved in the livestock industry, such as agricultural workers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinarians.

Hospital-acquired infections can also occur due to improper sterilisation of medical equipment, reuse of needles and contamination of medical supplies, according to the WHO.

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