Congo virus claims third victim of the year

The 42 year old man was a resident of Sohrab Goth and owned a number of lambs.

KARACHI: A patient suffering from the Congo virus died in a Karachi hospice late on Thursday evening.

Doctors at private a private hospital in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, as well as Dr Shakeel Aamir Mullick, the in charge of the Dengue Surveillance Cell at Civil Hospital Karachi, which also collects data of Congo patients reported in the province, confirmed the infection and death.

The patient 42, years of age, was a resident of Sohrab Goth and was admitted at the hospital on August 7. He was a livestock owner and had many lambs which are being suspected as the source of virus..

The latest case has taken the tally for deaths through the Congo virus to three in 2012. The other two deaths reported so far at the cell too had some connection with livestock. He said that last year a total of four cases were reported which is not higher than the usual average.

Correction: An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated that it was the sixth death of the year instead of third. The error has been rectified.