Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Agriculture is urging all farmers to maintain good tick-control management practices for their livestock, particularly following the recent detection of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF).
This is one of the measures highlighted by the ministry as necessary to minimise the transmission of CCHF from ticks and animals to people. The appeal follows the confirmation of a CCHF case in an individual last week, who later passed away. The deceased lived on a farm in the Khomas Region.
“Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a severe haemorrhagic viral disease of people acquired from infected ticks, tissues of infected domestic or wild animals and physical contact with body fluids of an infected person. The disease is caused by CCHF virus of the genus Nairovirus. An infected animal does not manifest a clinical disease except mild fever. However, in infected people the onset of symptoms is sudden with fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain may occur early on,” the Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Kenneth Shoombe, explained.
In light of this, Shoombe emphasised that measures are being implemented to minimise the transmission of CCHF. These include enforcing tick-control activities at all animal-gathering events, in line with the Animal Gathering Events Protocol as stipulated in DVS Circular V17/2021.
Shoombe noted that the Directorate of Veterinary Services will supervise tick-control activities at identified high-risk establishments and auction facilities. He also urged animal handlers to be vigilant about ticks and to wear protective clothing whenever conducting any animal-husbandry practices.
“Livestock producers countrywide intending to market their livestock through any animal gathering event are urged to ensure that all animals are fine from ticks,” Shoombe added.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: The Farmer Magazine
