The deadly Congo fever has claimed another life in Gujarat as one more woman died due to infection of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in a government-run hospital, taking the toll to three.
Besides three deaths, as many as nine persons including two doctors are suspected to have been infected with the disease, whose spread the State government is trying to contain.
On Wednesday, Amuben (25), a resident of Kamlej village in Bhavnagar, died in Sir T Hospital. She was admitted to the hospital with fever on August 22. Her blood report from the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirmed it to be a case of Congo fever.
Earlier, almost a week ago, two women, Lilaben Sindhav and Sukhiben K. Meniya (75), both residents of Jamadi village of Surendranagar district, died of Congo fever.
Samples sent
According to sources in the health department, nine people including two doctors and two paramedics were under treatment for symptoms of the Congo fever and their samples have been sent to the Pune-based institute for confirmation.
Among the suspected is one more woman of Jamadi village where two deaths occurred.
Earlier, some cases of Congo fever, which is caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family, were reported from Saurashtra and Kutch regions.
The CCHF virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever and it can be transmitted from one infected person to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.
