Another man contracts Congo fever in city

Another man in Karachi has contracted Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and been admitted to the isolation ward of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in critical condition.

JPMC Executive Director Dr Seemin Jamali said 21-year-old Hashim Khan, a resident of Frontier Colony, was brought to the hospital with fever, headache and symptoms of a viral infection.

He was tested for dengue while his blood sample was also sent to the Aga Khan University Hospital to test for CCHF, following which it was confirmed that he was infected with the lethal tick-borne viral disease, added Dr Seemin.

So far four patients from Satellite Town in Quetta and one from Karachi have died in the city’s hospitals because of Congo fever, while a young man infected with the virus was fortunate enough to survive the largely lethal disease after being treated at the JPMC last month.

Experts say CCHF is a lethal disease caused by a virus found in a tick that attaches itself to the bodies of livestock and cattle, and when humans come into contact with the animals, they get infected and contract high-grade fever, headaches and internal and external bleeding.

“CCHF is a highly contagious and lethal disease with a 50 per cent mortality rate,” said Dr Zeeshan Ansari, who is a consultant haematologist, or an expert in blood and its diseases. “Sometimes even doctors or paramedics get infected if they don’t take precautionary measures while treating their infected patients, who should be kept in isolation and their close family members should also be tested for CCHF.”

Dr Seemin said the latest patient had a history of dealing with cattle, adding that he had contracted high-grade fever and was displaying other symptoms for the past five days. She said the patient had a low platelet count and his condition was serious.

“We have moved him to the isolation ward and started treating him. Our doctors and paramedics are trained to deal with such patients, as last month a CCHF patient was successfully treated here and discharged after making full recovery.”