PESHAWAR, March 24: A woman died here of suspected Congo-Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) at the Hayatabad Medical Complex on Friday.

The hospital’s administration has vacated and sealed the Gynae B Ward, where she was admitted, as also its labour room; and has been administering anti-viral drugs to the concerned medical staff as a preventive measure.

Tasleem Bibi was referred from Saidu Hospital, Mingora, and was suffering from bleeding disorder. It is learnt that she gave birth to twins, one of whom was already dead whereas the second one died after birth.

The administration of the hospital told Dawn that it was yet not confirmed that the patient had died of the CCHF but as some of her symptoms were that of the deadly disease, all precautionary measures have been taken.

“Well-trained staff has been conducting fumigation of the ward and adjacent premises,” said Dr Siraj, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

He said soon after the death of the patient, army officers were contacted and Colonel Waheed, a well-known virologist of the Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, had been examining the entire situation.

The MS confirmed that when the patient was brought to the HMC the concerned doctors had not suspected that she was suffering from the Congo fever and it was only after she gave birth to the twins and expired they started suspecting that she might be a CCHF virus carrier.

The superintendent claimed that none of the staff members, who remained with the patient, had shown any symptoms of catching the virus and they were optimistic that the woman might not be suffering from the CCHF.

It’s worth mentioning that the disease had taken life of half a dozen people, including a lady doctor in Islamabad 25 days back, and had also resulted in the death of four persons in Peshawar last year.