Sultanate reports 9 cases of Congo Fever

By Zainab Al Nasseri — MUSCAT: March 20 - Nine cases of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), of which three cases were detected in one week, were reported in the Sultanate during the first quarter of this year, compared to three cases in 2016 for same period. The infected included four Omanis and 5 expatriates. Also, three deaths were recorded during the same period, registering a rise in fatality rate of up to 37.5 per cent. CCHF is one of the diseases that has high priority at local and international level and it is reported within 24 hours. It is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus that causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks. The hosts of the CCHF virus include a wide range of wild and domestic animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. It is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. Following infection by a tick bite, the incubation period is usually one to three days. Onset of symptoms is sudden, with fever, myalgia, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, backache, headache and sensitivity to light. As no vaccine is found yet to be safe and available for human use, the Ministry of Health has advised the public to follow precautionary procedures and safely deal with animals or infected cases.