QUETTA – A patient admitted on suspicion of Congo virus in Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital Quetta passed away Saturday noon raising concerns about the growth of deadly virus in Balochistan.
According to reports, Shah Jehan, who hailed from Loralai’s Duki area, was brought to the hospital two days ago and was under treatment.
Dr Naseer, the in-charge of Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital’s isolation ward, said that despite the medical attention, his condition had remained critical.
Dr Naseer added that no blood samples could be withdrawn from the patient before his death, emphasizing on how critical his condition had become.
The congo virus, if it remains unnoticed, could prove to be fatal. In Pakistan, overall 11 cases of this virus have been reported in 2017, of which four patients recovered and two and one died from the confirmed and suspected virus, respectively. Five people were discharged with no diagnosis of the illness.
The virus is known as the Nairovirus because of its spread from ticks or through contact with the blood or other fluids from infected animals and humans.
Congo virus belongs to Bunyaviridae family. In Pakistan, this virus was first reported from the regions of Baluchistan and KPK in 1976, at that time it was not a much prevalent disease but up to 2000, its victims increased and now the death toll in Baluchistan has increased to 91.
There is no known vaccine for this virus to use in animals but in the case of humans, this fever can be treated using Ribavirin, which is an antiviral drug. Ribavirin can be given both orally and intravenously as prescribed by the physician.
