Crimean-Congo fever leaves three dead in Oman

Muscat: Three people have died and another six received treatment for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) during the first months of 2017, the Ministry of Health has revealed.
The ministry stated that the rise in CCHF cases is notable compared to the same period in 2016 where only three cases were reported.
CCHF is a tick-borne virus which affects animals such as cows, goats and sheep. Humans are affected by the disease either by a tick sting or direct contact with an infected animal’s blood or organs during slaughter.
The disease also transfers from one person to another as a result of direct contact with blood or via other bodily fluids.
The onset of symptoms is sudden, with fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light. There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings and
confusion.
WHO advises people to wear protective clothing, use approved acaricides (chemicals intended to kill ticks) on clothing and to wear gloves and other protective clothing while handling animals or their tissues.
“People should also quarantine animals before they enter slaughterhouses or routinely treat animals with pesticides,” it said.