KARACHI: A 42-year-old man lost his life after contracting the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), marking the first confirmed fatality from the virus in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province this year, the health department said on Wednesday.
The fatality rate for the Congo virus ranges from 10 percent to 40 percent, depending on the quality of health care, timeliness of treatment and the patient’s overall health, according to the World Health Organization.
The virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa, Europe and Asia, is primarily transmitted through tick bites or contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals.
“First case of Congo virus [has been] reported in Sindh,” the Sindh Health Department said in a statement on Wednesday.
“42-year-old male was a resident of District Malir,” it continued. “The test report came out positive on June 16 and the patient passed away on June 17.”
