The Congo virus has claimed six lives across Sindh so far this year, with five of the fatalities occurring in Karachi. The latest victim of the disease, medically termed Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), was a 28-year-old butcher.
Hospital management at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) stated that the man was admitted two days ago with complaints of high fever and abdominal pain. This recent casualty marks the fifth confirmed fatality from the Congo virus in Karachi this year.
According to the Sindh health department, five of the six deaths were reported from Karachi’s Malir district and one from Thatta. Two deaths occurred in June (one in Malir and one in Thatta), while one death was reported in July, August, and September respectively.
The patient was reportedly a butcher by profession, which likely led to his exposure to infected animals, a common source of CCHF virus transmission. JPMC management confirmed that the diagnosis of the Congo virus was verified earlier this morning based on laboratory test results. Despite medical efforts, the patient’s condition worsened, and he succumbed to the illness.
Earlier in June, a 26-year-old man named Zubair from Karachi’s Ibrahim Hyderi and a 42-year-old man from Malir also died from the disease.
The Congo virus can be transmitted through tick bites or via contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals, particularly during the slaughtering process. Currently, no vaccine is available for the disease. Medical experts are strongly urging the public, especially those involved in animal handling and slaughtering, to adopt precautionary measures, such as wearing gloves and protective clothing.
