By Fazal Khaliq
MINGORA: Officials of the district administration staged a walk here on Tuesday to create awareness of Congo fever prevention among local people.
Led by Swat deputy commissioner Mahmood Aslam and district health officer Dr Syed Ali the participants were holding banners inscribed with ways to check spread of Congo virus.
“Taking measures against the spread of Congo haemorrhagic fever virus is our collective responsibility. The virus is widely found in domestic animals. In the wake of Eidul Azha people must follow precautionary measures at the time slaughtering animals,” said Mr Aslam after the walk.
He said that gloves must be used by people who cut animals.
He and the other officials on the occasion distributed pamphlets among people and asked them to read and educate their family members about the prevention of Congo fever.
Though no case of the Congo fever has ever surfaced in Swat, people praised the campaign. “We have never worn gloves for cutting our sacrificial animals, but this time we will take the precautionary measures,” said Zahid Iqbal in Mingora.
Congo virus is found in the wild and domestic animals such as goats and sheep. Animals get infected by the bite of infected ticks and its virus stay in the bloodstreams for about a week.
The virus is then transmitted to people through contact with the blood or tissues of the infected animals.
