" It’s best to wearplastic gloves whiledealing with theblood and meat. Ifblood touches anypart one should washit away immediately,"Dr Akhtar Sheikh.

LAHORE: People should take extra care not to make direct contact with the blood and organs of animals sacrificed on Eidul Azha as a precaution to avoid the Congo virus, which can lead to the deadly Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, say doctors.

There have been no recent confirmed cases of the disease in Pakistan, but the lethality of the disease – it has a mortality rate of 30 per cent – means people should take extra care when handling animal parts, said Prof Mahmood Shaukat, head of paediatric surgery at Mayo Hospital.

He said that the symptoms of the disease are similar to dengue, including high grade fever and bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes. Another symptom is mood swings. “A person’s mood goes from hyperactivity to depression during the course of the disease,” he said.

Pakistan Medical Society Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh said that many animals were asymptomatic, meaning they could carry the virus without showing any symptoms of the disease.

“To avoid the virus people should check that they don’t have any cuts or bruises on the hand when slaughtering an animal so that the animal’s blood doesn’t touch that part. It’s best to wear plastic gloves while dealing with the blood and meat. If blood touches any part one should wash it away immediately. Once the meat is cooked, the virus is killed,” said Dr Sheikh.

Too much red meat will kill you

Doctors also suggested that people try to avoid too much red meat, salt and chillies, which increase stomach acidity and can be dangerous for those with stomach ulcers, diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis, or other liver, renal and cardiac problems. He added that fatty meat could lead to hypertension and heart disease.

Dr Sheikh said that the average adult should not eat more than 200 to 250 grams of red meat a day. “Red meat increases the level of uric acid in the blood. this puts a burden on the kidneys and can lead to gout,” he said. “People with kidney or liver problems should be extra careful.”

Also, when barbequing meat to make tikkas or sajji, he said, try to avoid overcooking. “Excessive burning of the meat can produce chemicals that can be dangerous for the health, and some of these are carcinogens,” he added. “The use of cola or other fizzy drinks with spicy food can do extra harm.”

Family physician Dr Israr Hussain Asif said that certain dishes like brain masala, and siree paye were very rich in cholesterol and should be avoided by those with a high cholesterol level.

He added that the blood and gore of an animal sacrifice could have harmful psychological effects on the young. “Children should be kept away from the slaughter scene as this can lead to future phobias,” he said.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Prof of Surgery Dr Latif Aftab said that another health hazard of the day was the threat of injury by sharp knives or the animal itself during the slaughter ritual. “There are such instances every Eidul Azha,” he said.

He said that mutton and beef were high in protein and nutritional value but should be eaten in combination with yoghurt and vegetables. He said that meat should be kept in a cool place before freezing. It must also be cooked thoroughly or can cause various infections.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th,  2011.