Shangula announces end of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever outbreak

Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula on Monday announced the end of the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever outbreak in the country, which claimed the life of one person last month.

Shangula made the announcement in Windhoek during the launch of the national Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response technical guidelines.

“As we all know, a suspected case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever was reported to the ministry on 17 May 2023. Unfortunately, the person succumbed to the disease on 18 May 2023. The case was laboratory confirmed on 21 May 2023 and subsequently declared an outbreak on 22 May 2023,” the minister said.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is a severe viral haemorrhagic disease with a fatality rate of up to 40 per cent.

It is primarily transmitted to humans through tick bites, handling and crushing of ticks with bare hands, or contact with the tissue of infected livestock.

The minister said Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever transmission is considered interrupted when no new case is identified for a period equal to double the incubation period, namely, 28 days following the last exposure.

Shangula further explained that several public health interventions were implemented to contain the outbreak such as the activation of a health emergency management committee for the Khomas and Omaheke regions.

Other interventions implemented were contact tracing, monitoring of 56 high risk contacts and assessing possible livestock tick infestations to roll out effective tick control measures by veterinary services.

The minister said tick treatment was administered to a total of 4 885 cattle, 1 778 sheep and goats and 228 equines.

He noted that 15 June 2023 marked the 28th day following the demise of the confirmed case and the date considered the last day of possible exposure.

“There has been no additional cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever detected in the country, thus the declaration of the end of the fever outbreak,” Shangula declared.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency