Gujarat: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever kills 75 year old, Authorities begin precautionary measures

Ahmedabad: Precautionary measures are being taken after the confirmation of death of a woman from Surendranagar district due to infection of deadly Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in a government run hospital in Ahmedabad recently.

A doctor associated with the AMC run SVP hospital in Ahmedabad, where Sukhiben K Meniya (75) had died recently on 26th August, said that the blood sample of the deceased woman had been sent to the National Institute Of Virology in Pune and it confirmed on August 24 that this was a case of Congo fever. After that the staff and paramedic staff involved in her treatment has been examined. Two to three of them have flu like symptoms and detailed checking was being done.

In the native of the deceased woman, Jamadi village under Limbdi taluka of Surendranagar district, the health department has also examined her relatives and other people. In the same village a few days ago two other women had died and it was assumed that they had died of Dengue but it could not be confirmed.

In Kutch area, some cases of Congo fever which is caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family, were reported earlier on. The CCHF virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever. CCHF can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.

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Treatment for CCHF is primarily supportive. Care should include careful attention to fluid balance and correction of electrolyte abnormalities, oxygenation and hemodynamic support, and appropriate treatment of secondary infections. The virus is sensitive in vitro to the antiviral drug ribavirin.

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