May lead to “Crimean Fever”

The Ministry of Health warns of the dangers of slaughtering animals outside slaughterhouses

Butcheries approved by the municipalities adhere to sanitary procedures.

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The Ministry of Health and Community Protection has warned of the dangers of infection with the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, which is active due to the practices of indiscriminate slaughter of sacrifices, in homes or by traveling butchers, outside the slaughterhouses approved by the municipalities.

The ministry explained to "Emirates Today" that Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is classified among the priority health diseases, and it is reported within 24 hours, so that the epidemiological investigation procedures can be quickly intervened by the concerned authorities, and it is a common viral disease between humans and animals. The incubation period of the disease is between one and six days.

She stated that this virus is endemic to some countries in Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa, and is transmitted to humans either by the bite of a tick or by direct contact with the blood or tissues and secretions of infected animals during or immediately after slaughter.

She pointed out that the symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea and diarrhea.

With regard to measures to prevent Crimean Fever (Congo hemorrhagic), the Ministry stated that it had worked to publish circulars and scientific materials for all health workers in all governmental and private health facilities in the country, regarding the disease of Crimean Fever, sufficiently before the Hajj and sacrifice season, in order to increase awareness and vigilance for surveillance. Active and early detection of cases and how to deal with them.

She added that she worked to raise awareness and educate the community about the most important procedures that must be followed to prevent Crimean fever, including the commitment to slaughter in approved slaughterhouses and avoid slaughter outside abattoirs, as the method of skinning and slaughter followed by roaming butchers is not sound, and causes contamination of the carcass, in addition to that the tools The ones they use in slaughter are not sterile, and they themselves do not follow any system or conditions for personal or public hygiene.

The ministry advised individuals to avoid visiting animal markets unless necessary, to wear gloves and other protective clothing while dealing with animals or their tissues during slaughtering operations in slaughterhouses, and to wear light-colored clothing when visiting markets, for easy detection of any ticks on clothing.

Crimean fever infection

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection confirmed that “Crimea fever” is a disease caused by a virus carried by ticks, and causes outbreaks of severe viral hemorrhagic fever, and the death rate from it is between 10 and 40%, and the virus is endemic to countries in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia.

And she added that animals (sheep, goats and cows) become infected through the bite of ticks that carry the infection, and the virus is transmitted to humans through a tick bite or direct contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals during or immediately after slaughter, and it is also transmitted from one person to another as a result of direct contact.

She explained that the most prominent symptoms of the disease are fever, muscle pain, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, back pain, headache, inflammation of the eyes, feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and sore throat.

Crimean fever is classified as a priority health disease. 

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