QUETTA, Oct 4: A 27-year-old man died of Congo virus in Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital in the early hours of Thursday, hospital sources said.

“Yes, he was suffering from Congo virus which caused his death,” Dr Akhlaq Ahmed, medical superintendent of Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital said adding that the victim was brought from a village of Loralai district late on Wednesday.

All Congo virus symptoms were found in the victim who was identified as Lal Mohammad, he said.

“Bleeding started from nose and mouth of Lal Mohammad days back in the village but due to unawareness he has not taken any notice of it and did not visit any doctor,” a relative of the Congo virus victim said. However, when his condition deteriorated he was brought to Loralai hospital and later sent to Quetta for treatment.

The hospital authorities handed over the body of Lal Mohammad to his relatives after completing formalities.

Hospital sources said that four other patients suffering from Congo virus including a nine-year old boy was also under treatment in the hospital who were brought from different towns of Balochistan.

They include, Chaman (65) Kamal (32), Nisar Ahmed (19) a student of FSc and Mohammad Ismail a seven-year-old boy.

“They were brought to the sanitorium during the last nine days for treatment, hospital sources said adding that they were improving.

The medical superintendent of the chest hospital confirmed that 67 Congo virus patients were admitted in the hospital who came from different areas of the province during the last four months and out of these nine patients including five Afghan refugees have been died, while others were allowed to go home after treatment.

He said that an isolation ward has been set up in the hospital for suspected Congo virus patients and a three-member team including a lady doctor and a male nurse were looking after such patients in this special ward.

Dr Akhlaq Ahmed said that the hospital was facing difficulties in connection with blood test of the penitents. “ At present we are sending blood specimens of such penitents to Islamabad for test.

He said that a large number of Afghan refugees were carrying Congo virus as they were living with their animals that were the main cause of spreading this fatal disease.