QUETTA: Balochistan province has reported four cases of the Congo virus, or Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), this year, health officials said on Saturday.
Officials at Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital in Quetta, the only facility that treats Congo virus patients in Balochistan, confirmed a latest case of Congo virus in a 25-year-old patient. The hospital authorities say that the patient belongs to Chaman district and was admitted to the isolation ward after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Balochistan has reported four cases of the Congo virus this year, out of which one patient has died. The authorities have warned that the number could go up ahead of Eid Al-Adha.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), or Congo virus, has a fatality rate between 10% and 40%. This means 10 to 40 out of every 100 infected people succumb to the illness. It depends on health care quality, speed of treatment, and the patient’s condition.
The disease is primarily transmitted through tick bites. People can also catch it by touching infected animal blood or tissue. The virus is common in parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia.
The Congo virus spreads quickly and is highly contagious. It causes severe symptoms and can be deadly without prompt treatment.
