ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: Another Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (Congo fever) patient died at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Sunday.

According to sources, Arif Khan, 28, a resident of Abbottabad, was under treatment in the hospital since September 11.

According to a doctor of Pims, a few days back Shahzad Ahmed, 21, died of the deadly virus in Abbottabad. His brothers Shiraz Ahmed, 25, Arif Khan, 28, along with their father Mohammad Yousuf, 60, was brought to Pims where they died.

“All four patients belonged to the same family and were butchers. They had been in close contact with animals which resulted in the spread of the disease,” he said.

The blood samples of the patients were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH), which tested it positive for the Congo virus, he said.

The doctor said it had been decided that blood samples of all the remaining family members would be collected to test them for the deadly virus.

Congo fever is a viral disease which is mainly transferred to humans from domestic animals.

Its symptoms include fever, bloody urine and nose bleeds.