Confirmed Congo patient undergoing treatment at BBH

Rawalpindi:A confirmed patient of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) belonging to Tehsil Kahuta, some 42 kilometres from Rawalpindi, has been undergoing treatment here at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) while two confirmed patients of Congo fever have lost their lives due to the deadly infection at the BBH in the last two weeks.

The 41-year old female patient Iram wife of Sultan was brought to the BBH from a village in Kahuta with signs and symptoms of CCHF and later she was confirmed positive for Congo fever. According to the hospital administration, the patient is stable, at least, at the time. Earlier on July 8 and July 13, two confirmed patients of Congo fever died of the infection here at BBH. Both the patients Hassan son of Fiaz, aged 27 and Naseem wife of Asif, aged 35 were brought to the hospital from Chakwal district, some 80 kilometres from Rawalpindi.

The patients died of CCHF at BBH in the last two weeks were from two different families however all the Congo patients taken to the BBH this year had history of animal handling, said Additional Medical Superintendent (Administration) at BBH Dr. Inayat ur Rahman when contacted by ‘The News’ on Monday. It is important to mention here that in the last two-and-a-half months, a total of four patients have lost their lives due to Congo fever at BBH. Two confirmed CCHF patients who were taken to the BBH from Attock District died of the infection at BBH on May 3 and May 20 this year. Apparently, the CCHF cases reported at the BBH were of sporadic nature, said Dr. Inayat.

The deadly CCHF is caused by Nairovirus of the Bunyaviridae family transmitted to humans by the bite of Hyalomma tick or by direct contact with blood of an infected animal or human. The CCHF was first described in Crimea in 1944 and identified in 1956 in Congo. According to various studies, the mortality rate of CCHF like haemorrhagic fevers ranges from two per cent to 50 per cent in hospitalised cases while 50 to 90 per cent in patients receiving no treatment. Persons with the infection of this virus family experience headache, high fever, muscle pain and vomiting along with internal and external bleeding. Studies reveal that the incubation period is influenced by the route of exposure. Infections acquired via tick bites usually become apparent after one to three days; the longest incubation period reported by this route is nine days. Exposure to blood or tissues usually results in a longer incubation period. Current estimates suggest that these infections become apparent, on average, after five to six days, but incubation periods up to 13 days are also known.

The BBH administration claimed to have notified all the concerned departments of the patients brought to the hospital for taking necessary measures. The patient undergoing treatment is improving and hopefully, she would be discharged soon after achieving complete cure, said Dr. Inayat.