Cases of viral hemorrhagic fever, cholera on the rise

Several patients suffering from viral hemorrhagic fevers, including three suspected patients suffering from Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever virus, were brought to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Karachi during last two weeks, of which some were even denied treatment owing to their poor financial conditions.
A senior resident at AKUH on condition of anonymity said on October 10 that at least three patients, suspected of being suffering from Congo-Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever Virus were brought to hospital of which, one of them was denied treatment after his relatives failed to deposit a certain amount of money for initiating treatment. According to him, both the patients died within three days of admission, prior to any kind of diagnosis but their symptoms showed that they could have been suffering from Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever virus.
"Actually, there are numerous kinds of hemorrhagic fevers, of which some can be detected while many are still undetectable.
These diseases are highly fatal and contagious and require extreme precautions in handling of patients and their treatment" he informed. AKUH resident informed that most of the patients were from Quetta and some other parts of Balochistan and all of them were suffering from viral hemorrhagic fevers.
"In one case, a patient who was suffering from high fever was brought to hospital from suburbs of Quetta, wrapped in fresh skin of cow as according to their traditions, such patients can only survive if kept in fresh skin of cow" he added.
He informed that when any patient, suffering from viral hemorrhagic fevers is brought to AKUH, extreme precautionary measures are taken and the patients are kept in quarantine.
"The doctors and nurses visiting such patients are dressed as they are going in space" he added.
In addition to viral hemorrhagic fever, cases of cholera were on the rise and a large number of patients suffering from deadly water-borne diseases were being brought to AKUH, he informed.
Cholera is a water-borne disease caused by bacterium Vibrio cholera and its symptoms are nausea, vomiting, profuse watery diarrhea, and rapid loss of body fluids, electrolyte imbalance, toxemia, and collapse.
Infection usually comes through contact with contaminated fecal matter or contaminated water, the doctor said and adding asked people to use boiled water and refrain from eating edibles sold openly.