30 suspected cases of Congo fever reported in Gujarat

It seems the deadly Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has started to spread its tentacles in the state with hospitals in several districts registering suspected cases of the disease. So far, 30 suspected cases of CCHF have been reported in state.

The administration which is on high alert is taking no chances with any person exhibiting the symptoms of CCHF, especially considering the fact that the highly-infectious disease has a high mortality rate of 40 per cent.

According to the health department's deputy director (epidemic) Dinkar Raval, there are six confirmed cases of CCHF in the state and out of them, three have already died, whereas the remaining are availing treatment at isolation wards in state-run hospitals. Raval, however, did not clarify the number of suspected CCHF cases in the state.

The health department sources confirmed that there are around 11 suspected cases of CCHF from Morbi and they have been kept under close observation at Civil Hospital. All these 11 persons are labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, working in a plastics factory.

"We have sent blood samples of all the 11 persons on Thursday and we are awaiting the results. Meanwhile, all the symptomatic treatment is being rendered to them," a health department offcial said.

Apart from the suspected cases from Morbi, three other suspected cases of CCHF have been admitted to Sir T Hospital in Bhavnagar. Health department officials said the suspected cases were in close contact with the woman of Kamlej village, who died due to CCHF on August 22.

Besides the death in Bhavnagar, two other confirmed deaths due to CCHF have been registered in the state so far—one at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hospital in Ahmedabad and another at CU Shah Medical College and Hospital in Surendranagar.

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's superintendent MM Prabhakar told DNA that two more suspected cases of CCHF have been admitted in the infectious disease ward. One is a 15-year-old boy from Rajasthan, whereas the other case is from Botad. "We have sent the sample to NIV and are awaiting results," the superintendent said.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials said no fresh suspected case have been admitted at SVP Hospital and the samples of doctors and paramedics, who were in close contact with the 75-year-old woman who died due to CCHF, have been found negative. Except for the deceased and two other patients from Halvad, all other samples have tested negative, officials said.

Meanwhile, calls and texts to health commissioner Jayanti Ravi went unanswered.