First case of suspected Congo fever in Bhiwandi

The first suspected case of Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, also known as Congo fever, has been detected in Bhiwandi.

Sampatlal Jain, 48, has been admitted to the ICU at Kasturba Hospital. He was referred from Jaslok Hospital on Friday when he showed clinical symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever.

“He had a brain hemorrhage. But looking at the history of the patient, he might not have Congo fever because he did not come in contact with livestock. Hemorrhagic fever is caused by many viruses,” said Dr GT Ambe, executive health officer, BMC. Jain’s blood and serum samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune. “We might get the results by Sunday,” said Dr Ambe.

A hospital source said Jain, who is suffering from renal failure, is critical and on ventilator. He is on anti-viral drugs. Doctors said Jain was suffering from fever, body ache and headache for the last 10 days.

Jain first took treatment for fever from a general practitioner for few days, and then was shifted to a nursing home. “When his condition deteriorated, he was taken to Bhatia Hospital. As all the intensive care beds there were full, he was shifted to Jaslok,” said Dr Pratit Samdani, a consulting physician at Jaslok.

Jain had travelled to Shirdi and Nashik 15 days ago. “When we did his MRI, it showed blood in the brain. The symptoms were similar to viral hemorrhage fever,” said Dr Samdani. Jain’s platelet count was only 35,000, which is very low. Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner, said that no fresh advisory has been issued and there have been no new suspected cases found.