Sindh records year’s first death from Congo fever

KARACHI: The province of Sindh on Wednesday saw its first death from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) this year.

Sources said the 17-year-old victim was a worker at a cattle farm in Tando Adam.

He initially reported at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and was later referred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre (SID&HRC).

“He presented to us with fever and bleeding yesterday. Upon clinical evaluation, the patient was suspected to be a CCHF case,” said Dr Yahya Tunio, deputy executive director at the JPMC.

The patient, he said, was managed in the isolation facility and his samples were promptly sent for analysis to the Aga Khan University Hospital. He tested positive and was transferred to SID&RH where he passed away on Wednesday morning.

According to the World Health Organisation, the CCHF virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks. They have a case fatality rate of up to 40 per cent.

The virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons.

CCHF is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, in countries south of the 50th parallel north.

There is no vaccine available for either people or animals.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2026