KARACHI, July 28: Haji Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Quetta who dealt in leather products, died at the Aga Khan University Hospital on Wednesday. He had contracted Congo Virus some 15 days ago and for the last one week blood had been oozing out of his ears and nose.

One of his friends, M. Shafique Khan, told Dawn that more than 15 days ago, the deceased had slaughtered a cow in his home. Soon after distributing the meat, he fell ill. "Somebody advised him that he should wear the cow's hide, which was an effective way of driving the disease away. So Haji Ghulam Nabi sat for a considerable time, covering himself with the cow's hide," said Mr Khan from Quetta.

Answering a question, he said the deceased had never travelled abroad. Some seven days ago, blood had started coming out of Mr Nabi's ears and nose, he added. Rizwan Edhi and Fariduddin of the Edhi Foundation told this reporter that Mr Nabi had been shifted to Karachi on board an air ambulance on July 26. And he was immediately admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital.

A source in the hospital said Mr Nabi had been suffering from the Congo Virus disease and that he died just before noon on Wednesday in the hospital's intensive care unit.