Teenager dies of Congo fever in Karachi
June 12, 2018
KARACHI: A 19-year old man suffering from the Congo virus died in the city’s Jinnah Hospital on Tuesday.
The patient was admitted for treatment after testing positive for the dreaded Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) two days ago, Executive Director of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Dr Seemi Jamali told Geo News.
Two other patients are under treatment at the hospital for the virus.
The CCHF is caused by the Congo virus, which is found on a tick that attaches itself to the skin of cattle. People who come into contact with these infected ticks or animals can contract the viral disease, which is highly contagious and has a 40-50 per cent mortality rate.
The onset of CCHF is sudden, with initial signs and symptoms including headache, high fever, rashes, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain, and vomiting.
