QUETTA/KARACHI: Two deaths from the Congo virus have been reported in Pakistan, one in Quetta and the other in Karachi.
The Congo virus is a deadly disease transmitted to humans from infected animals, such as cattle and goats, through ticks. Symptoms include high fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and internal bleeding, and it can cause death in up to 50% of cases.
According to health authorities, the first victim was a 20-year-old pregnant Afghan woman named Gul Naz. She was brought from Kuchlak with symptoms of the virus and admitted to Quetta’s Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital. Gul Naz was bleeding from her mouth and nose, and her blood samples were sent to a laboratory, which confirmed the disease.
Unfortunately, she could not survive and died Sunday morning, as confirmed by Dr Zubair Ahmed of the hospital. This marks the third death from the virus in the last 10 days. Dr Ahmed added that “in the past four months, four people have died of Congo virus.” All patients had traveled to Afghanistan.
In Karachi, the Sindh health department confirmed the death of a 28-year-old man, Mohammad Adil of Liaquatabad, who was a meat seller. “Initially, he developed a headache and fever on April 30, which intensified two days later. He was taken to a private hospital where he remained under treatment for a day,” said a health department official.
Officials said the victim later had episodes of nasal bleeding. The patient was initially tested for dengue and malaria, but the results came negative, the official added. “On May 4, the patient’s condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Ziauddin Hospital in North Nazimabad. He passed away a day later,” he said.
