Three fresh Congo virus cases surface
Congo virus has resurfaced in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) with three positive cases reported in Peshawar.
According to the details, all three patients were shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC). One patient belongs to Kohat, the other two belong to Batkhila, Swat and Bara Tehsil of Khyber District, the spokesperson of Hayatabad Medical Complex said here on Saturday.
He said the hospital management is imparting treatment to all three persons infected with Congo virus. Giving detail, he said, Noor Khela, a 27-year-old woman, hailing from Bara Tehsil of Khyber District and was admitted in the Hospital on July 15.
He disclosed that Jawad Khan, age 21, hailing from Kohat district was admitted on July 18 while the third patient infected with Congo virus was 18-year-old Muhammad Hamza, hailing from Kohat and was admitted in the Hospital on July 19.
On May 7, The patient, who emerged as this year's first case of the life-threatening Congo virus, died during treatment at a private hospital in Karachi.
According to health officials, Muhammad Adil, a 28-year-old resident of Liaquatabad, visited the hospital as an outpatient on Thursday this week.
Parliamentary Secretary on Health Qasim Siraj Soomro told The Express Tribune that the health facility took samples from the patient and sent them to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), where the laboratory results confirmed that he had contracted the Congo virus.
The Health Department said that the deceased was a meat slaughterer, processor, and seller (butcher) by profession. He worked in meat shops in a supermarket located in Liaquatabad. On April 30, the patient developed a fever and headache, for which he took paracetamol tablets at home.
On May 2, he developed a very high-grade fever and was taken to Habib Medical Hospital, where he was admitted for one day.
The patient then experienced episodes of bleeding from the nose and mucous membranes. His initial investigations for dengue and malaria were negative.
Adil's condition deteriorated after two days, and he was transferred and admitted to Ziauddin Hospital in North Nazimabad on May 4, where he received intensive care treatment.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2023.