MoPH confirms 11 deaths from Congo virus, 267 positive cases

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Monday confirmed 11 deaths from Congo virus during the past three months, saying it registered 267 positive cases all over the country.

MoPH officials two days ago told Pajhwok Afghan News that 104 persons contracted Congo fever and seven people died from it in the country.

Dr. Fakhruddin Stankizai, zoonotic illnesses specialists at MoPH, told Pajhwok that the virus was transmitted to humans through contact with infected ticks and animal blood and from one infected person to another.

Stanikzai said severe fever, headache, muscles pain, joints pain, pain in stomach, throat pain, conjunctivitis, jaundice, anemia are primary symptoms of this disease.

According to Dr. Fakhruddin, since March 21 until 19^th of June, 267 positive cases of Congo fever were registered in the country while 11 people died from the disease.

He said the virus has spread in 22 provinces while majority of the cases were registered in Kabul, Jawzjan, Balkh, Herat and Nangarhar provinces.

He also pointed out that majority of the infected people were butchers, ranchers, women and health providers and the number such cases was still rising.

He linked the breakout to low level of awareness among people about this disease and he said: “The number of positive cases may be higher because we only share the figures from Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI)”.

He added: “The people do not take the words of MoPH seriously and the level of awareness is low among people … that is why the cases of this illness are high”.

He advised people to wear gloves, masks, aprons, glasses, boots while slaughtering animals and disinfect the location where they slaughter animals.

He said people must also bury the waste of the slaughtered animals in the soil.

Dr. Fakhruddin also advised citizens, especially women, to use masks and gloves when cutting and cooking meat and to wash their hands with soap and water afterwards.

aw/ma