A 50-year-old man from Jamnagar in Gujarat, has succumbed to Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), commonly known as Congo fever, marking the first reported fatality from the virus in the region in five years, health officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The deceased, identified as Mohanbhai, was a cattle breeder who was admitted to a local hospital on January 21. Despite medical efforts, he passed away on January 27. A blood sample was sent to a laboratory in Pune, which later confirmed the presence of the CCHF virus. Dr. SS Chatterjee, Additional Dean of Jamnagar Medical College, remarked that this was the first case of CCHF reported in the city in the past five years.

In response to the case, local health authorities have stepped up surveillance in the area surrounding Mohanbhai’s home. Family members have been advised to take extra precautions with hygiene to prevent any further spread of the virus.

CCHF typically presents with symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, and dizziness. After two to four days, additional symptoms may include insomnia, depression, stomach pain, and rashes on the mouth, throat, and skin. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CCHF is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever that can have a mortality rate of up to 40 percent, and there is currently no vaccine for the disease.

The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through tick bites or contact with infected domestic animals. Human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or organs of infected individuals.