“A patient infected with Congo fever virus has been admitted at the Jinnah Hospital,” Dr Seemi Jamali said. It is the first patient of the Congo virus reported this year. She further said that the patient has been a cowherd and resident of Bilawal Chowrangi in Karachi.
The patient was brought to Jinnah Hospital over symptoms of the Congo fever. The hospital confirmed Congo virus in the patient after medical test reports, she said.
A Congo virus alert had been issued last year for the metropolis, stipulating precautionary instructions for all those people who are visiting cattle farms. The 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.
The disease is caused when a tick attaches itself to the skin of cattle and when that infected tick or animal comes in contact with people, the highly contagious virus is transmitted into the human body and the person falls ill. The initial symptoms of Congo fever include headache, high fever, rashes, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain and vomiting. TLTP