By Myris Lee
The Department of Health (DOH) said there is “little to no risk” that the nose-bleed fever virus called Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) recorded in Iraq will reach Philippine borders.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Iraq has reported few deaths and more than a hundred confirmed cases of the disease caused by blood-sucking ticks or through contact with infected animal blood, tissue, and fluids.
The DOH said those who work in the livestock, agriculture, veterinarian, and slaughter industries are seen to be more prone to the virus. The CCHF is endemic to Africa, Balkan states, the Middle East, and some northern Asian countries.
The common symptoms are fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes, photophobia (sensitivity to light), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, among others.
The Philippine health department said that an antiviral drug called ribavirin is used to treat the virus.
“Treatment of symptoms with general supportive care has been shown to be the main approach to manage such cases,” the DOH said. – ag
