KARACHI, Nov 20: A young woman house officer of the Civil Hospital, Karachi, died on Sunday after reportedly contracting Congo virus. She was admitted at Aga Khan Hospital where the young doctor breathed her last. She was married three months back.

Doctors at the CHK said that Dr Yusra Afaq was admitted at the AKUH about five days ago with fever and bleeding from the mouth and nose.

Provincial Secretary Health Prof Naushad Shaikh told Dawn that it was not Congo virus, but a virus having similar symptoms.

Dr Yusra went into coma two days ago and died on Sunday afternoon, the health secretary confirmed.

“We have sealed the coffin as the virus is contagious and we have requested the family to bury her as soon as possible along with the coffin, Prof Naushad said, adding that close relatives and friends who were on the victim’s bedside had been clinically examined.

About two months back, a young doctor working at the Neuro Surgery Ward of the CHK had died of similar symptoms. Despite strong conclusions that the young medical practitioner had died after contracting Congo like virus if not Congo, the health authorities have failed to evolve precautionary guidelines or safety standards.

On May 11, 2004, it was reported that four members of a family had died after contracting Congo virus, in Balochistan. “Three members of the family died in Qila Saifullah while another member of the family —a boy — breathed his last in the Chest Hospital in Quetta. All of them suffered from Congo-Crimean haemorrhagic fever,” hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Tariq Khosa had confirmed at that time.