Faisalabad patient suffered from hepatitis C and dengue, not Ebola: WHO
Suspected Ebola patient died at Allied Hospital in Faisalabad last night
FAISLABAD:
A patient in Faisalabad who was suspected of contracting the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was, in fact, in the terminal stage of hepatitis C, coupled with an episode of dengue hemorrhagic fever, the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The patient, Zulfiqar Ahmad, passed away at the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad last night. According to Express News, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the and directed health authorities to investigate the matter and submit a report to him.
The 40-year-old was a resident of Chiniot district and had returned to Pakistan on November 16 from West Africa where he has been working for the last three years.
The deceased was initially suspected to be suffering from Ebola fever, but the diagnosis was later ruled out as Togo, where he had returned from 10 days ago, is not an Ebola-infected country. Additionally, the patient had not traveled anywhere near the epidemic areas.
Ahmad was hospitalised at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Chiniot, for having a history of high grade fever, yellowish discolouration of eyes, vomiting and diarrhea or the last five days and loss of consciousness for one day. His condition did not improve and he was subsequently admitted him to Faisalabad’s Allied Hospital where medics, after initial diagnostic tests, feared he might have contracted Ebola.
As an immediate measure of precaution, the Punjab Health Department Punjab sent a field investigation team to the patient’s home town and another to Faisalabad where the patient was admitted for investigation and treatment, in order to track travel history and all potential contacts, a routine practice in epidemic investigation.
The National Institute of Health scientists remained stand by and in continuous contact with provincial authorities throughout the episode on the directions of Minister for NHSR&C and Secretary NHSR&C. WHO - which is working closely with the federal government to help strengthening epidemic preparedness - also sent a team providing technical support to the authorities in investigating and ruling out any suspicion of Ebola.
Furthermore, a five-member mission from Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has arrived in Pakistan to evaluate the country's preparedness to handle the situation. The team will be visiting hospitals and airports to assess and then submit a report with recommendations.
More than 5,000 people were killed in latest outbreak of Ebola West Africa, especially in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
A patient in Faisalabad who was suspected of contracting the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was, in fact, in the terminal stage of hepatitis C, coupled with an episode of dengue hemorrhagic fever, the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The patient, Zulfiqar Ahmad, passed away at the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad last night. According to Express News, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the and directed health authorities to investigate the matter and submit a report to him.
The 40-year-old was a resident of Chiniot district and had returned to Pakistan on November 16 from West Africa where he has been working for the last three years.
The deceased was initially suspected to be suffering from Ebola fever, but the diagnosis was later ruled out as Togo, where he had returned from 10 days ago, is not an Ebola-infected country. Additionally, the patient had not traveled anywhere near the epidemic areas.
Ahmad was hospitalised at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Chiniot, for having a history of high grade fever, yellowish discolouration of eyes, vomiting and diarrhea or the last five days and loss of consciousness for one day. His condition did not improve and he was subsequently admitted him to Faisalabad’s Allied Hospital where medics, after initial diagnostic tests, feared he might have contracted Ebola.
As an immediate measure of precaution, the Punjab Health Department Punjab sent a field investigation team to the patient’s home town and another to Faisalabad where the patient was admitted for investigation and treatment, in order to track travel history and all potential contacts, a routine practice in epidemic investigation.
The National Institute of Health scientists remained stand by and in continuous contact with provincial authorities throughout the episode on the directions of Minister for NHSR&C and Secretary NHSR&C. WHO - which is working closely with the federal government to help strengthening epidemic preparedness - also sent a team providing technical support to the authorities in investigating and ruling out any suspicion of Ebola.
Furthermore, a five-member mission from Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has arrived in Pakistan to evaluate the country's preparedness to handle the situation. The team will be visiting hospitals and airports to assess and then submit a report with recommendations.
More than 5,000 people were killed in latest outbreak of Ebola West Africa, especially in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.