Namibia: Congo Fever Outbreak Declared

Fred Gunner

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THE health ministry yesterday declared Congo fever an outbreak after the death of a Keetmanshoop man at the Windhoek Central Hospital on Tuesday, and the hospitalisation of two others.

He said the case registered on Tuesday could be regarded as an outbreak, "according to the World Health Organisation guidelines".

Windhoek central hospital superintendent Dr David Uirab also confirmed the hospitalisation of two other people from Keetmanshoop and Gobabis at the institution.

Haufiku said Hartebees died at the Windhoek Central Hospital, where he was quarantined.

The deceased had assisted a neighbour to slaughter a cow "that was infested with ticks on 21 March 2018, and presented with symptoms on 27 March".

According to the health ministry, Congo fever is transmitted mainly through tick bites, handling or working with an infected animal's blood, and can also be transmitted from one infected person to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.

A person with Congo fever can have the sudden onset of high fever, headache, back and joint pain, abdominal pain and neck pain, among other symptoms.

Congo fever can be transmitted through tick bites or handling ticks with bare hands, and through direct contact with infected people or animal blood and organs, "including the slaughter of animals with ticks attached".

The latest case registered on Tuesday was the second Congo fever case recorded so far this year.

Another man was diagnosed with the symptoms of Congo fever at the Windhoek Central Hospital in February this year.

https://www.namibian.com.na/66124/read/Four-hospitalised-with-Congo-fever-symptoms
 
The Battle Buddy method is proven best for Tick Removal.
ef51ffb81c0df7229aa985895de0e5d7.jpg
 
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever:
Key facts
The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.
CCHF outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 40%.
The virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons.
CCHF is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, in countries south of the 50th parallel north.
There is no vaccine available for either people or animals.
The hosts of the CCHF virus include a wide range of wild and domestic animals
Reducing the risk of tick-to-human transmission:
wear protective clothing (long sleeves, long trousers);
wear light coloured clothing to allow easy detection of ticks on the clothes;
use approved acaricides (chemicals intended to kill ticks) on clothing;
use approved repellent on the skin and clothing;
regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks; if found, remove them safely;
seek to eliminate or control tick infestations on animals or in stables and barns; and
avoid areas where ticks are abundant and seasons when they are most active.
Reducing the risk of animal-to-human transmission:
wear gloves and other protective clothing while handling animals or their tissues in endemic areas, notably during slaughtering, butchering and culling procedures in slaughterhouses or at home;
 
Fortunately, other than on an animal, I have never seen a tick in Namibia. Unlike some areas of the RSA.
 
On our trip to Namibia in February after spending the morning walking through long grass I told the kids to check for ticks. After watching them look down at there legs and go "no haven't got any " I carried out an inspection and took one off the back of my sons leg. They both took more care next time I told them to check.
 
Fortunately, other than on an animal, I have never seen a tick in Namibia. Unlike some areas of the RSA.
Man I am glad you chimed in with that. I was just trying to figure out how to deal with this issue. Ordering permetherine to start!
 
Man I am glad you chimed in with that. I was just trying to figure out how to deal with this issue. Ordering permetherine to start!

"Blousing" your pants will help keep them on the outside. I read somewhere that Permethrine treated clothing will kill a tick by the time it crawls about five inches or stays put for a similar length of time. It still pays to check for them after you leave the field.
 
Precaution is probably always wise. If you like to hunt in shorts (as I do) don't forget the Deet!
 
Wet season vs dry season.

WHO's definition of Outbreak.

Disease outbreaks



A disease outbreak is the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area or season. An outbreak may occur in a restricted geographical area, or may extend over several countries. It may last for a few days or weeks, or for several years.


A single case of a communicable disease long absent from a population, or caused by an agent (e.g. bacterium or virus) not previously recognized in that community or area, or the emergence of a previously unknown disease, may also constitute an outbreak and should be reported and investigated.
http://www.searo.who.int/topics/disease_outbreaks/en/
 
I promise I’ll really try this time not to “Tick anybody off!”…(Oh no he didn’t?…Oh yes he did!) (The Dr. said the little blue pill would stop the voices…but the voices said to take the pink one instead?)
530714_508417862534217_186889956_n.jpg
 
4.13.16_3.jpg

Spend extra time feeling those "small bumps"
Practice playing "Find the Tick" with a close friend months before you leave for your Safari.
Make it part of your daily "Dry Fire" practice routine!
 
@billc is this the ar3a where you will be hunting?
 
not sure but the ticks will be gone by july.
 
View attachment 224071
Spend extra time feeling those "small bumps"
Practice playing "Find the Tick" with a close friend months before you leave for your Safari.
Make it part of your daily "Dry Fire" practice routine!

o_O....small bumps....whats the point....cant you look for big bumps?......;):whistle:........
 
Somehow I don't think my wife is gonna fall for this one either, along with all the other gag attempts, lol.:rolleyes::rolleyes::D:D:(:(:(
 
Senior medical officer at the Keetmanshoop State Hospital Dr Refanus Kooper confirmed yesterday that Hartebees was buried the same day he died, in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards in order to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease.

Kooper also said he informed Hartebees' wife, Anna, about the burial and the reasons why she could not attend her husband's burial.
Hartebees' relatives, Kooper said, would only be allowed to visit the grave after six months (That’s a bad ass bug) as per WHO health standards.

"How can you not bury someone you love and with whom you have lived together so many years?" Pieters asked. "Maybe God knows, and we must accept it.”

The family, including two children, was quarantined in their house at Keetmanshoop's Tseiblaagte residential area after Hartebees was diagnosed with Congo fever.

"We were told the quarantine would be lifted on 16 April," she said.
Health officials, she said, gave the family a thermometer to measure their body temperature every day and to then inform them whenever their body temperatures rose above 37 degrees Celcius.
 
My heart goes out to this family. What a horrible situation.
 
I’ll be near there in August. One of my friends there had a neighbor die of this disease and suppose he got it from a tick on his horses. I don’t know how widespread it is but wow it’s a bad bug!
Philip
 

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