RAWALPINDI: National Institute of Health (NIH) on Friday declared a patient as Congo Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) case after his death at Holy Family Hospital. Shoaib Ahmed, 32 years old and resident of Talagang, Chakwal, was admitted to the Holy Family Hospital on July 2 with symptoms of CCHF. However, the patient died on Thursday night.

“We received a report from the National Institute of Health (NIH) that the patient from Chakwal had the disease,” said Dr. Javed Hayyat, incharge infectious diseases at the hospital. He said that this patient was referred from District Chakwal. Earlier, they suspected him patient of dengue, he said.

Director Health Dr. Zafar Iqbal Gondal told Dawn that the Punjab health department had asked the district health department to take preventive measures to avoid spread of the disease.

He said that the health department officials would monitor family and neighbours of the victims and immediately admit in the hospital if anyone of them develops symptoms of Congo fever.

He said the district health departments of all the four districts of the Rawalpindi Division had been directed to create awareness of the disease among the people handling animals.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2014