Livestock Emergency Imposed as 2 Die of Congo Virus Ahead of Eid-ul-Adha

May 29, 2024

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The Attock district administration has declared a livestock emergency following the deaths of two individuals from Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF).

Section 144 has been enforced, banning cattle markets and prohibiting inter-district cattle movement for 10 days prior to Eidul Azha.

A meeting of the technical advisory committee, which included local administration, health, and livestock officials, was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza. The committee decided to ban cattle markets in Gondal in Attock, Domel, Jand, and Gali Jageer in Fatehjang, and to strictly prohibit inter-district and inter-provincial cattle movement.

Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza, along with the assistant commissioner of Hassanabdal, conducted a surprise inspection at the livestock department checkpost on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Punjab border at Jehri Kass on Hazara Road to monitor potential cattle movement from KP to Punjab.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Engineer Aamir Khattak also inspected the livestock checkpost in Attock Khurd on G.T. Road to review the Attock administration’s arrangements.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Dr. Asad Ismail reported that the latest outbreak was identified on May 1 when Mohammad Imran, a 51-year-old from Hazro, was admitted to a hospital in Rawalpindi with high fever and oral bleeding; he later died. The second patient, Khair Khanum, a 50-year-old woman from Jand, arrived on May 17 but did not survive. The National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed both patients were infected with the Congo virus.

Dr. Ismail noted that the Congo virus is highly lethal, with only a 10% recovery rate, and spreads from animals to humans and between humans. Symptoms include bleeding from the gums, nose, and stools, as well as high fever.

Attock Livestock Department Additional Director Dr. Abdul Hameed stated that checkposts have been established at all district entry and exit points to enforce the cattle movement ban.

The Punjab government has sent a nine-member committee of health and livestock experts to investigate the causes and study the cases to develop a strategy to control the disease’s spread in Attock district, especially with the anticipated mass cattle movement ahead of Eidul Azha.