Eid-ul Adha 2020: NIH issues health advisory for COVID-19 prevention

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has issued the health advisory regarding the prevention from the novel coronavirus ahead of Eid ul Adha 2020.

According to details, NIH has warned the movement of sacrificial animals could increase the risk of spreading of coronavirus.

Eid ul Adha could amplify the risk of coronavirus spreading as crowds are expected to gather in markets to buy animals.

The NIH added these animals also risk spreading the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) due to increased human-animal interaction, commonly found in these animals.

The advisory, alerted various stakeholders including human and animal healthcare providers to take timely steps for the prevention and control of CCHF and COVID-19.

The advisory lists several instructions that need to be adopted for the prevention and control of CCHF since there is currently no vaccine available for the disease.

The instructions include use of full sleeves and light-colored clothes, gloves, face masks, and hand sanitizers, practicing of social distancing during a visit to cattle markets; frequent hand-washing and hand sanitization to disinfect and clean hands; avoidance of all crowded places including large family gatherings during Eid and sacrifice of animals; and thorough washing of hands with soap after coming in contact with animals or their blood.

Moreover, NIH has also issued its 48th Seasonal Awareness and Alert Letter (SAAL) for epidemic-prone infectious diseases.

The letter exhibits patterns of high-priority communicable diseases including Cholera, Coronavirus diseases (COVID-19), CCHF, Dengue, Leishmaniasis, Malaria, Measles, Polio and Typhoid XDR.

These diseases are predicted to be on high alert during the said season. It also contains a detailed introduction of diseases, case definitions, infectious agents, modes of transmission, case management and prevention.