KARACHI – Sindh has reported its first death of the year from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), the health officials confirmed said on Thursday.
The victim, a 17-year-old cattle farm worker from Tando Adam, was initially brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre after experiencing high fever and bleeding.
Due to his critical condition, he was referred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre for specialized care.
Doctors suspected CCHF based on clinical symptoms and immediately shifted the patient to an isolation facility. His samples were sent to Aga Khan University Hospital, where the infection was confirmed.
Despite medical intervention, the patient succumbed to the disease on Wednesday morning.
According to the World Health Organization, CCHF is a highly dangerous viral illness with a fatality rate that can reach up to 40 percent.
The virus is primarily transmitted through tick bites or contact with infected animals, particularly livestock, while human-to-human transmission can occur through exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids.
The disease is endemic in several regions, including Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, and parts of Asia. There is currently no vaccine available for its prevention in humans or animals.
