06 October 2013 – From 1 January to 29 September 2013, a total of 77 suspected cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), including 15 deaths (case–fatality rate 19.4%) were reported from Pakistan. So far, 48 of these reported cases have been laboratory-confirmed. The laboratory tests have been performed at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.
During the current year, CCHF cases have been reported from all the provinces of Pakistan, including from the capital city of Islamabad (Table 1). A field investigation was carried out by a joint team of WHO disease surveillance officer and the district health authorities in the affected areas revealed that the majority of the cases had history of contact with animals and animal skins. Some family members of the cases have also been reported to have been infected. So far no transmission has been reported in hospitals that may be associated with health care.
Table 1. Suspected cases of CCHF reported in Pakistan, 2012 and 2013
| Province | Reporting year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2013 | |||
| Cases | Death | Cases | Death | |
| Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sindh | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Punjab | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Islamabad capital town | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa/ Fata | 9 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Balochistan | 38 | 7 | 60 | 8 |
| Total | 62 | 18 | 77 | 15 |
WHO is working closely with the provincial health authorities in conducting field investigation, strengthening surveillance and case management, as well as raising public awareness among the at-risk populations. A coordination mechanism has been established involving other non-health sectors to oversee the implementation of control measures.