Pakistan on Thursday reported its first fatality of the year from the Congo virus, as a 17-year-old boy succumbed to the infection after being admitted in critical condition to a Karachi hospital.
The Congo virus, a tick-borne disease, can cause severe haemorrhagic fever and is typically transmitted through bites from infected ticks, especially the Hyalomma species, or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues.
Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital & Research Centre Director Dr Abdul Wahid Rajput confirmed that the patient was already in a critical state upon arrival, suffering from internal bleeding.
He was immediately shifted to the intensive care unit and treated under strict isolation protocols but could not survive.
According to Jinnah Hospital spokesperson Dr Waqas, the teenager, who worked at a livestock farm, was initially brought in with a high fever on Monday.
Suspecting Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), doctors moved him to isolation and sent blood samples to Aga Khan University Hospital, which later confirmed the diagnosis.
He was then transferred for specialized care, where he passed away. Sindh last reported a Congo virus death in June 2025.
