The Ministry of Health and Social Action informed this Saturday, April 29th, 2023 of the activation of the Center for Emergency Health Operations (COUS). Following the confirmation of a human case of Bémorragic fever Crimée Congo on April 21, 2023 at the level of the Dalal Jamm National Hospital Center of Guédiawaye (Dakaroise suburb), the Centre dos Opérations d’Urgence sanitaire (COUS) is active. Thus, Dr Mamadou Moustapha Diop. the Director of the Fight against Disease, is appointed manager of the Incident. A note that takes effect from that date. According to the fact sheet Crimea Congo hemorrhagic fever, contagious disease due to a virus transmitted by ticks causes severe outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with a lethality of 10 to 40% can occur endemic in some countries or regions.

The communiqué indicates that the disease is reportable (RSI). In terms of transmission, the virus reservoir consists of several types of wild animals such as rodents, birds (herons, hornbills) and domestic animals (cattle, sheep, goats). Contamination of the animals occasionally occurs from infected ticks. The CHF Canada virus is transmitted to humans either through tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissue (slaughter, calving, veterinary interventions, carcass disposal). The majority of cases are found in people working in the livestock sector, farmers, slaughterhouse employees or veterinaries. Human-to-human transmission can occur as a result of direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or body fluids of infected individuals.

Infections can occur in the care setting (hospital-acquired infections). For signs and symptoms, the Ministry of Health and Social Action indicates that the incubation period depends on the mode of contamination. After a tick sting, it is usually one (1) to three (3) days, with a maximum of nine (9) days. After contact with infected blood or tissue, it is usually five ( 5) six (6) days, with a documented maximum of (thirteen) 13 days.

The onset of symptoms is brutal marked by a painful syndrome (algic) made of headache, muscle pain (myalgia), joint pain (arthralgia); and an infectious syndrome with a fever at 39-40°C and sweats. At the beginning, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and sore throat are sometimes observed. In the state phase (after one week of evolution), signs of bleeding may occur. It can be bleeding of the nose (epistaxis), gums (gingivory), or blood in vomiting (heratemia), stool (melina) or genitals; or bleeding under the skin (purpura, petechiae). Disorders of consciousness can occur at a more advanced stage of agitation, torpor, drowsiness, coma.

Recovery is long and marked by physical weakness (asthenia) generalized and persistent. Recovery is complete but slow. Lethality can occur in 10 to 40% of cases in a hemorrhagic shock panel, neurological disorders. For diagnosis, the samples consist of blood. saliva, urine, or tissue (biopsies). These samples must be transported in a triple package. CHF Canada’s diagnosis is done in a P4 lab, according to various
technical. In fatal cases as in patients in the early days of the disease, the diagnosis is based on the detection of the virus or RNA in blood or tissue samples. Treatment in humans must be early and relies mainly on the treatment of symptoms (rehydration, blood transfusion, painkillers, fight against vomiting, etc.).

Prevention at animal level proceeds by the elimination of ticks, through specific diseasement techniques used by veterinary services. There are no vaccines that can be used in animals. Public health advice has several components, including reducing the risk of transmission of the tick to humans, wearing protective clothing (long sleeves, trousers), wearing light-coloured clothing to easily detect use chemicals (pesticides) on clothing, or use repellents on skin and clothing to deter ticks, rigorous skin and clothing hygiene (cleanliness), disinfection of pens and stables.

To reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission, the Ministry of Health and Social Action recommends wearing gloves and protective clothing when handling animals or their tissues in endemic areas, in particular at the time of slaughtering or cutting in slaughterhouses or at home, quarantine the animals before entry into the slaughterhouse or treat them systematically two weeks before slaughter, reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community, avoid close physical contact with people infected with CHF Canada, wear gloves and protective equipment to care for patients and wash them regularly but after caring for or visiting patients.

It is recommended that health workers who are caring for patients for suspected or confirmed CHF Canada or handle samples taken from them should apply the usual infection precautions, including hand hygiene, wearing personal protective equipment, safe injections and safe burials, careful handling of samples taken from suspected CHF Canada cases by trained personnel working in adequately equipped laboratories.