The first case of the Congo virus of the year 2024 has been reported in Karachi. The patient is a 32-year-old man presently undergoing treatment at Jinnah Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital with what could be described as severe symptoms including high fever and diarrhea only for the Congo virus to be found in a later test.
Condition and Care
The health of the patient deteriorated and as such he was transferred to the intensive care unit commonly referred to as ICU. Expressing his concern, he said that the Congo virus is very lethal and has a mortality rate of only 10%. The virus is usually noticed in times of Eid-ul-Adha, during transportation and sale of animals since the disease is zoonotic and transmitted from animals to people and vice versa.
Transfer to Specialized Care
The Deputy Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital, Dr. Nausheen said that the patient will be shifted to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIIED) which has better capacity to deal with such cases. This was conducted to ensure that the particular patient received the best treatment.
Previous Case in Karachi
A similar incident was reported in Karachi in November 2023. A 42-year-old man who was a resident of the East District was a confirmed case of Congo virus and sought treatment in a private hospital. The diagnosis of the case was confirmed by the Sindh Health Department after the man presented with the symptoms of the virus.
Symptoms to Watch For
Doctors have so far known various symptoms that are associated with the Congo virus. They are a fall in white blood cells, high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, tiredness and weakness, drowsiness, and the presence of ulcers in the mouth. Individuals with these symptoms have to go to the hospital, but if they have had contact with cattle, then they have to do that first of all.
This has brought understanding and early identification into the management of the Congo virus which is still a real threat to society.
