AHMEDABAD: After a brief lull, the dreaded Congo fever virus struck again, claiming the life of 25-year old doctor Shabbir Ali on Monday. His blood sample has tested strongly positive which means the viral load must have been found to be very heavy. Death of Dr Shabbir, a resident of a bungalow scheme in Sarkhej, sent the health authorities running to find the source of infection.
The country's first Congo fever death was reported from Kolat village in Sanand whose resident Amina Momin died of the viral fever on January 3. Later, Dr Gagan Sharma and nurse Asha John who had come in contact with Amina succumbed to the viral infection.
While the state health department has gone into an overdrive, killing ticks and spraying pesticides on cattle in Sanand, this death points that more exhaustive efforts are needed. This, especially, when the samples of ticks sent from Ahmedabad have tested positive for the virus. Blood samples of cattle sent have also tested positive.
Officials said that Dr Ali had completed his MBBS from Russia and was pursuing his internship at Civil Hospital. His seniors in the hospital said that he was not part of any job which exposed him to the dreaded virus.
Meanwhile, state health authorities are also examining the fact that Dr Ali had gone to Vadnagar last week. However, doubts are being raised that Dr Ali contracted the virus there as he is reported to have spent less than five hours at the place.
"It is a matter of great concern how Dr Shabbir Ali contracted the virus. This needs to be investigated, especially considering that the virus was very aggressive in Dr Ali and caused internal bleeding from third day onwards. He was suffering massive hemorrhaging before his death," said Dr Atul Patel, infectious diseases specialist from Sterling Hospital.
Dr Ali is reported to have got fever, vomiting and stomachache on January 26. He consulted a local physician but when his symptoms did not improve, he went to Shalby Hospital. Later, he was taken to Sterling Hospital.
The country's first Congo fever death was reported from Kolat village in Sanand whose resident Amina Momin died of the viral fever on January 3. Later, Dr Gagan Sharma and nurse Asha John who had come in contact with Amina succumbed to the viral infection.
While the state health department has gone into an overdrive, killing ticks and spraying pesticides on cattle in Sanand, this death points that more exhaustive efforts are needed. This, especially, when the samples of ticks sent from Ahmedabad have tested positive for the virus. Blood samples of cattle sent have also tested positive.
Officials said that Dr Ali had completed his MBBS from Russia and was pursuing his internship at Civil Hospital. His seniors in the hospital said that he was not part of any job which exposed him to the dreaded virus.
Meanwhile, state health authorities are also examining the fact that Dr Ali had gone to Vadnagar last week. However, doubts are being raised that Dr Ali contracted the virus there as he is reported to have spent less than five hours at the place.
"It is a matter of great concern how Dr Shabbir Ali contracted the virus. This needs to be investigated, especially considering that the virus was very aggressive in Dr Ali and caused internal bleeding from third day onwards. He was suffering massive hemorrhaging before his death," said Dr Atul Patel, infectious diseases specialist from Sterling Hospital.
Dr Ali is reported to have got fever, vomiting and stomachache on January 26. He consulted a local physician but when his symptoms did not improve, he went to Shalby Hospital. Later, he was taken to Sterling Hospital.
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