One more woman has fallen prey to the deadly Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Gujarat, taking the toll to four, all females, so far.

The deceased was identified as Lataba Ghanshyam Chudasama (47), resident of Timbla village under Barwala taluka in Botad district, who had died in the civil hospital of Ahmedabad on September 3, after being referred there from Sir T Hospital of Bhavnagar. Her report, which arrived on 5th September from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, confirmed the presence of Congo virus in her blood stream, sources from Health department said in Gandhinagar.
 

Earlier, three women, including two from Surendranagar and one from Bhavnagar district, had died due to Congo fever. Amuben (25), resident of Kamlej village in Bhavnagar, had died in government-run Sir T Hospital. She was admitted to the hospital with fever on August 22. Her blood report from the National Institute if Virology in Pune confirmed it to be a case of Congo fever.

Almost a week ago, Lilaben Sindhav and Sukhiben K Meniya (75), both residents of Jamadi village under Limbadi taluka of Surendranagar district, had also died of Congo fever. Cases with Congo fever, including that of a doctor from Jamnagar, are under treatment. In Kutch and Saurashtra area, some cases of Congo fever, caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family, were reported earlier too. The CCHF virus causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever.

The deadly virus can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids. Treatment for CCHF is primarily supportive. Care includes careful attention to fluid balance and correction of electrolyte abnormalities, oxygenation and haemodynamic support, coupled with appropriate treatment of secondary infections. The virus is sensitive in-vitro to the antiviral drug Ribavirin, the sources added.