Shangula declares end to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever outbreak
The Ministry of Health and Social Services on Monday declared the end of a nearly one-month observation period for recurrences of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) noting that day 28 of the fever was marked on 15 June, which was considered the last day of possible infection.
The health minister, Hon Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said during a press briefing that following the one confirmed case last month, there have been no new cases of CCHF detected in the country.
“A suspected case of CCHF was reported to the Ministry on 17 May, and unfortunately, the patient succumbed to the disease on 18 May. The case was laboratory-confirmed on 21 May,” Shangula said, adding that subsequently, his ministry declared an outbreak of CCHF on 22 May.
After a statutory waiting period of 28 days, the minister declared the end of the CCHF outbreak in Namibia. “This, indeed, is an act of skill, endurance and ingenuity that deserves acclamation,” he said.
CCHF is a severe viral haemorrhagic disease, with a fatality rate of up to 40%, that causes about 500 fatalities each year, according to the World Health Organization. It is endemic in all of Africa as well as the Middle East and Asia.
According to the minister, the disease is primarily transmitted to humans through tick bites, the handling, and crushing of ticks with bare hands, or contact with the tissues of infected livestock.
“Human-to-human transmission can occur through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or bodily fluids of infected persons. Although CCHF is endemic in Namibia, previous outbreaks have not resulted in secondary cases. Currently, there is no vaccine available against CCHF for either humans or animals,” Shangula said.
He emphasized that the incubation period for CCHF varies depending on how the virus is acquired. Following infection by a tick bite, the incubation period is usually one to three days, with a maximum of nine days, and in the case of contact with infected blood or tissues, the incubation is usually five to six days, with a maximum of 14 days, he added.
Moreover, he pointed out that CCHF transmission is considered interrupted when no new case is identified for a period equal to a double incubation period, namely, 28 days following the last possible exposure.
