Daily Times

Sir: As always, whenever Eid-ul-Azha is around the corner, Congo virus rears its ugly head in our country. The most recent case emerged in Karachi yesterday, bringing this year’s toll to a total of nine cases. Two patients have already died.

The virus is transmitted by ticks which attach themselves to the skin of cattle, and people who come into contact with the ticks or infected cattle catch the disease. Immediate symptoms include stomach pain, severe headaches, vomiting, back pain and joint pain. However, these are human symptoms, and it is very difficult to tell which animals have been infected and which haven’t.

Anyone who experiences the above mentioned symptoms should seek out medical health immediately, as this is a disease which has a 40 percent mortality rate. Meanwhile, we as a people should also reconsider how we celebrate Eid-ul-Azha. Ritual animal sacrifice on a mass scale like this is not feasible in urban environments and the relevant authorities should create a mechanism that allows people to transport there animals to proper slaughterhouses, rural areas, or the outskirts of big cities.

KAMRAN AHMED HASHMI

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, August 21^st 2018.