12 October 2004	Tuesday	26 Shaban 1425

RAWALPINDI, Oct 11: The serological test report of a Johannesburg (South Africa) laboratory on a patient who died at the Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH) on September 22 has confirmed that he was suffering from Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) , sources told Dawn on Monday.

However, the blood samples of 31 persons, including doctors, paramedics and attendants of the deceased, have been cleared as negative. When executive director of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Dr Karamat was contacted, he confirmed that the serological report on the 45-year-old Firdaus, an animal handler of Muradia in Hazro tehsil, had been received from Johannesburg which confirmed he suffered from Congo fever.

"It has been confirmed as a case of CCHF. However, the reports on other persons have been declared negative." However, Dr Bushra who had been looking after the 31 persons at the RGH, told Dawn that she had no knowledge of the report.

A source in the hospital said a sweeper, identified as Eid Mohammad, had been suffering from high fever. However, the hospital authorities were tight-lipped about the case.

Eid Mohammad, who had developed 103 Fahrenheit temperature, has been kept in an isolated room at the hospital, the source said. Though no other such case has come to light in the village of Firdaus, the provincial health authorities have taken no bio-safety measures nor launched a public awareness campaign.

However, Dr Karamat of the NIH said he had been monitoring the situation, especially at the RGH, and providing technical assistance whenever needed. At present, Mohammad Rafiq, 40, another suspected Congo fever patient from Plundri in AJK, is admitted to the RGH.