Sindh, Balochistan hospitals on ‘high alert’ as Congo virus kills 1, infects 11

KARACHI: Authorities in Pakistan’s southern Sindh and Balochistan provinces put hospitals on high alert on Monday after a person passed away from the Congo virus while 11 others also contracted the disease, a Sindh health official confirmed.
Dr. Shukrullah Langove was shifted from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Agha Khan Hospital by road in the southern port city of Karachi after he contracted the Congo virus. However, doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival on Sunday.
“A high alert has been issued in the province and hospitals across Sindh have been directed to adopt preventive measures against the virus,” Shabbir Ali Babar, a spokesperson of the Sindh Health Department, told Arab News.
He confirmed that a high alert has also been imposed in hospitals across Balochistan.
The Congo virus, or Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), is a highly contagious disease transmitted by ticks and contact with infected animals. It leads to severe symptoms and can be fatal if not treated promptly, particularly in endemic regions such as parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Outbreaks require swift action to prevent further spread.
Dr. Waseem Baig, a spokesperson of the Balochistan Health Department, confirmed Dr. Langove’s death. He said 12 people in total contracted Congo virus in Balochistan, adding that Langove was one of them.
Babar said 11 patients from Balochistan have been shifted to Karachi and are currently being treated at the Agha Khan Hospital.
“The Sindh Health Department has established a special ward at the Infectious Disease Hospital for Congo patients arriving from Balochistan,” Babar said.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Health Department issued a health advisory for all hospitals in the province, directing them to adopt preventative measures against the virus.
Babar said Sindh’s caretaker health minister was constantly in touch with his counterpart in Balochistan to provide him any assistance in dealing with the virus.
Baig said a team from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad had arrived in Quetta to collect environmental samples.
“As of now, 12 people have been infected, of which the doctor died, while there are no other deaths, and the patients are being treated,” Baig said.
According to data shared by the Sandeman Hospital with Arab News, 45 CCHF cases have been reported in Balochistan since January 2023. Of these, 16 patients who contracted the disease died during the year.