Congo fever claims life of paramedic from Quetta

A 35-year-old paramedic from Quetta died due to Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) at the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital (SIDH) at NIPA, Karachi, on Friday, officials said, adding that four people, including a doctor from Baloshitan, had died due to the tick-borne infectious disease in Karachi so far.

“A 35-year old paramedic from Quetta, who was shifted to the SIDH Karachi in a precarious condition because of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), died during treatment on Friday morning,” an official of the Sindh health department told the News.

Following the outbreak of the Congo fever in Quetta, Sindh Caretaker Health Minister Dr Saad Khalid Niaz established a monitoring room at the Sindh Director General Health’s office and also ordered establishment of isolation wards at different health facilities in tertiary-care health facilities.

“All required personnel protection equipment (PPE) should be made available to the healthcare providers at isolation wards while strict compliance with infection prevention and control guidelines should be followed at health facilities,” he said in his directives to control the Congo virus.

Officials in the health department said around 17 patients had been brought to Karachi from Quetta a few days back, of whom two persons, including a doctor, expired during treatment at a private hospital while some of them were discharged after they recovered.

In light of the recent Congo virus outbreak in Balochistan, Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice Baqar on Friday instructed the provincial health and livestock departments to implement precautionary and prevent measures in the bordering districts of the province.

He expressed concerns about the Congo virus outbreak in Balochistan, emphasising potential risks for the bordering districts of Sindh, including Dadu, Shahdadkot, Kashmore and Jacobabad, due to their proximity to Balochistan and frequent cross-border movements.

Baqar highlighted that ticks from livestock and close contact with infected animals or humans are the main transmission routes of the Congo virus. He specifically directed the provincial health department and livestock departments to enhance surveillance in the bordering districts and tehsil adjoining Balochistan.

He further instructed the departments, along with the district administration, to initiate public awareness campaigns about preventive measures. This included promoting the use of insect repellents and protective clothing, as well as monitoring livestock markets, especially in border areas.

Justice (retd) Baqar urged the departments to coordinate with Balochistan’s health officials and other authorities for real-time updates.