Third Congo fever death reported in Karachi this year

• Butcher was admitted with high fever, abdominal pain.
• Experts advise animal handlers to be more cautious.
• There is currently no WHO-approved vaccine available.
  

KARACHI: Congo virus has claimed another life in Karachi this year as a 28-year-old man, who was a butcher by profession, succumbed to the disease, also known by its medical name Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.

The man was admitted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre two days back with complaints of high fever and abdominal pain, the hospital management said. The recent casualty marked the third confirmed fatality from the Congo virus in Karachi this year.

The patient was reportedly a butcher by profession, which likely exposed him to infected animals — a common source of transmission for the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus.

According to the hospital management, the diagnosis of Congo virus was confirmed earlier this morning, based on laboratory test results. Despite medical efforts, the patient's condition deteriorated, and he succumbed to the illness.

Earlier in June, Zubair, a 26-year-old man from Karachi’s Ibrahim Hyderi and a 42-year-old man from Malir died of the disease.

The Congo virus can be transmitted through tick bites or through contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals, particularly during slaughter. There is currently no vaccine available.

Medical experts have urged the public, especially those involved in animal handling and slaughtering, to take precautionary measures, such as wearing gloves and protective clothing.