Congo virus
There have been 16 instances of the virus discovered in the province of Balochistan since the year’s commencement, 11 of them were reported this month.
Pakistan’s Islamabad – Health officials in Pakistan are concerned after two cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus-related deaths occurred in the districts of Sindh and Balochistan.
The nation’s largest metropolis and the capital of the southern Sindh province, Karachi, reported the first fatality from the illness, also known as Congo fever, on Friday.
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The 28-year-old butcher first reported having a fever on April 30, according to the regional health officials.
Two days later, after his condition did not get better, he was brought to a city hospital, where his health kept becoming worse. His tests for malaria and dengue, however, came back negative.
He was sent to critical care on Thursday after a CCHF virus test came back positive. Next day, he passed away.
A 20-year-old lady passed away with Congo fever on Sunday in Quetta, the capital of the Balochistan province in the country’s southwest.
Quetta last week, according to Dr. Lal Jan, a government health officer in Balochistan, who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Since the start of the year, Balochistan has seen a total of 16 positive cases of the CCHF virus, 11 of which were found this month, according to Jan.
“We are focusing on therapy and raising awareness while also running testing for any suspicious instances. Our livestock department is working to deworm and cure animals that are entering the province since the sickness is caused by animals, he added.
According to Jan, the sickness is now being treated for by at least four patients in a provincial government hospital.
He stated, “We have established isolation wards for the patients and are offering them the necessary treatment.”
The nairovirus, which is carried by ticks, is what causes Congo fever, according to the World Health Organisation. People there experience severe viral hemorrhagic fever epidemics, which have a 10–40% case fatality rate.
Fever, muscular aches, disorientation, neck discomfort, back pain, headaches, sore eyes, and photophobia (sensitive to light) are some of its symptoms. Along with these symptoms, it may also result in stomach discomfort, sore throat, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting.
According to the WHO, the illness is prevalent in several regions of Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Africa.
Numerous domestic and wild animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and other livestock, are hosts for the CCHF virus.
According to the WHO, the virus can infect humans through tick bites or contact with infected animal blood or tissues during or right after slaughter.
