Suspected Congo virus patient expires in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: A suspected patient of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) died at the Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) during Eid holidays, hospital and family sources said on Tuesday. The sources said one Zaheer admitted to the Medical C Ward of ATH a few days back died on Sunday.

When contacted, Dr Yasir Gilani said that the patient was brought to the hospital from Haripur in a critical condition. He said that his blood test would be sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) today. “All his belongings were sent for burning in hospital’s incinerator last night,” he added.

District Health Officer Abbottabad Dr Faisal Khanzada said that it would take two weeks to get report from the NIH. The CCHF, also known as Congo fever, is a viral disease that occurs primarily in animals but humans also catch it. A number of CCHF cases have been reported in ATH during last few years. One Dr Hasnain Shah, a resident medical officer (RMO) of Ayub Teaching Hospital, died of Congo virus in 2010.

Dr Hasnain had caught fever after spending a night in Bisham in Shangla district where he had gone to perform duty at the health facility established for flood affectees.  He was admitted to the ATH but could not survive. Also, 26 cases of dengue fever have been reported so far in ATH out of which three people have died.

Irum Shaheen, 14, hailing from Havelian, died of dengue fever at the ATH on Saturday. Hospital authorities have set up special isolation ward where all suspected patients are kept there.