KARAK: A young man has fallen prey to Congo virus, raising the death toll from the disease to seven in the Karak district, locals said.

The latest victim, Abdullah of Sarki Lawagher area, died in the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar after suffering from the virus for more than a week, according to relatives.

However, Dr Majid Khattak, the in-charge of the special unit established for dealing with the fatal disease in the local health department, told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the Congo virus had taken life of several people in the district, but the exact number was not available as the patients were treated in hospitals outside the district.

Meanwhile, deputy director livestock department Dr Naeem Shah Khattak informed reporters that so far the department had spent Rs500,000 on the precautionary measures against the Congo virus.

He claimed more than 40,000 cattle had been vaccinated by the department across the district, besides fumigating different regions. He said people were fearful of the spread of the virus.

Mr Khattak said special kits had also been distributed among the butchers to keep them safe from the disease since the virus could transmit from cattle to humans.

He said that a site had been selected for building a slaughterhouse in the district.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2017