KARACHI:On directives of Senior Director Medical and Health Services Department Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) isolation wards have been established in four major health facilities to cater deadly Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) infected patients.
The isolation wards have been setup in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Landhi Medical Complex, Gazdarabad General Hospital and Sarfaraz Rafiqui Shaheed (SRS) Hospital.
The heads, focal persons and medical staff of KMC hospitals have been instructed to take preventive measures during Eid Ul Azha days. They have further directed to take adequate precautions while treating patients exposed to domestic animals or meat handlers and must observe infection control procedures.
The medical superintendents and doctors of KMC hospitals have been advised to provide health education to the general public for awareness, place banners/posters on prominent places.
The Congo fever is a fatal viral disease that spread through a tick (Cheechar) bite, which is a parasite lives in the blood of animals. The Congo mainly contracted people who deal with cattle and livestock.
The symptoms of Congo virus include backache, joints pain, pain in the abdomen, high fever and bleeding from any part of the body.
According to the health department, eight CCHF positive patients had been brought to Karachi’s public and private hospitals out of which five expired while three were recovered from fever.