By NewsDesk @bactiman63
A patient in Karachi has been diagnosed with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), according to a report in The Nation.
“A patient infected with CCHF has been admitted at the Jinnah Hospital,” Dr. Seemi Jamali said. It is the first patient of the Congo virus reported this year.
“The patient has been a cowherd and resident of Bilawal Chowrangi in Karachi,” Dr. Jamali said.
After confirmation, an alert was issued by the KMC to hospitals, directing them to adopt special precautions for a Congo affected patient. It had further asked hospitals to establish special wards for Congo patients, and run awareness campaigns about the virus.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The CCHF virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with a case fatality rate of 10–40%.
Animals become infected by the bite of infected ticks and the virus remains in their bloodstream for about one week after infection, allowing the tick-animal-tick cycle to continue when another tick bites. Although a number of tick genera are capable of becoming infected with CCHF virus, ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the principal vector.
The CCHF virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. The majority of cases have occurred in people involved in the livestock industry, such as agricultural workers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinarians. Human-to-human transmission is possible.
Pakistan: First human rabies case reported in Sindh
Pakistan: Measles outbreak in Jacobabad leaves two children dead
India: Plasmodium ovale malaria reported in Kerala, Found in soldier returning from Africa
