Mystery virus which killed three identified

GANDHINAGAR - The mystery virus that created a panic of sorts among the medical fraternity in Ahmedabad following the death of a patient, her consulting doctor and nurse, has been identified, state Health Minister Jay Narayan Vyas said here Tuesday.

According to the minister, a sample sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, has identified the virus as Crimian Congo Haemorregic Fever (CCHF).

A woman, Shamima, from Kolat village of Sanand Taluka near Ahmedabad was admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad in the first week of January after she was reported suffering from a mysterious fever.

The patient subsequently died. There was consternation in medical circles when her consulting doctor Gagan, who had examined her, also passed away as did the nurse Asha John, who had attended to her.

Vyas said that the state government was not taking chances and a team of experts headed by Kamlesh Upadhyaya has been constituted to take charge of the matter. “Survey teams have fanned out in a five km area of the village to which the patient belonged to carry out a door to door check,” he added.

Meanwhile, a team from Delhi is expected here in the next two days to conduct a study. Municipal health authorities said that random sampling was being done in the city hospitals to check if there was any spread of the virus.