Public health: Woman tests positive for Congo virus

Two men admitted to hospitals with Congo fever symptoms

MULTAN/FAISALABAD: A woman under treatment at Nishtar Hospital in Multan was shifted to an isolation ward on Sunday after her blood samples tested positive for Congo fever at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad.

A hospital spokesman identified the patient as Nasreen Bibi, 35, a resident of Rajanpur district. He said doctors treating the patient had strong suspicions that she was suffering from the disease. He said the final diagnosis was done in view of the NIH report received on Saturday.

Meanwhile, two men with symptoms of Congo fever were admitted to Nishter Hospital in Multan and district headquarters (DHQ) hospital in Faisalabad, respectively, on Sunday.

Abdul Rahman, 29, was brought to Nishtar Hospital from Kohlu district of Balochistan, said a health department spokesperson. He said platelet count in the patient’s body was found to be extremely low in blood tests done at the hospital. “His platelet count is 23,000. This is significantly lower than the normal count of around 150,000,” he said.

The spokesperson said that the patient was suspected to be suffering from Congo fever. He said his blood samples had been sent to the NIH Islamabad for chemical examination. Final diagnosis would be made in view of the reports received from the NIH, he said. He said based on information shared by the patient’s attendants he had been suffering from high fever for a week. “They said it has been three days since bleeding started from his nose,” he said.

In Faisalabad, 20-year-old Rashid, a resident of Mamu Kanjan area in Tandlianwala tehsil, was under treatment at the DHQ hospital with symptoms of Congo fever.

Rashid had been taken to a tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital for treatment of high fever. Doctors who examined him at the THQ hospital referred him to the DHQ hospital. He was shifted to an isolation ward on the basis of the results of an initial blood examination at the hospital.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Jamil, an officer on duty at the isolation ward, said that the patients’ blood samples had been sent to the NIH for further examination. He said the patient had been shifted to the isolation ward because the administration did not want to take any chances. He said extra precautions had been put in place for treatment of Congo fever patients on the Health Department directives.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2016.