Two Congo virus-related deaths in Pakistan cause alarm

Two Congo virus-related deaths in Pakistan have raised alarm!

As reported, at least two deaths from the Congo virus have been confirmed in Karachi and Quetta.

The first victim was a 20-year-old pregnant Afghan woman, according to the health authorities who passed away on Sunday.

The woman, identified as Gul Naz was brought from Kuchlak with symptoms of the virus and admitted to Quetta’s Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital.

She was bleeding from her mouth and nose and her blood samples were sent to a laboratory, which confirmed the Congo virus.

The second death was reported in Karachi, where the deceased was a 28-year-old meat seller identified as Mohammad Adil of the Liaquatabad area.

According to the Sindh health department, “Initially, he developed a headache and fever on April 30, which intensified two days later. He was taken to a private hospital where he remained under treatment for a day.”

The patient was initially tested for dengue and malaria, but the results came negative, the official added.

The victim later had episodes of nasal bleeding.

“On May 4, the patient’s condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Ziauddin Hospital in North Nazimabad. He passed away a day later,” a health department official said.

Health authorities have been alerted following the development and urged citizens to take precautions

The symptoms of the Congo virus are similar to those of dengue fever, they can quickly become life-threatening.

It is primarily transmitted to humans by ticks on cattle and other livestock and can cause severe fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and internal bleeding.

The virus has a high fatality rate, and there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for the virus.