UK health authorities stunned as woman in London hospital has extremely rare Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed to Morning Wire that an extremely rare case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever has been detected in England. The woman had recently travelled to Central Asia.
Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever is a viral disease usually transmitted by ticks and livestock animals in countries where the disease is endemic.
The patient was diagnosed at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is receiving specialist care at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
“It’s important to be aware that Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is usually spread by tick bites in countries where the disease is endemic, it does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the public is very low,” said Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA.
“We are working with NHS EI to contact the individuals who have had close contact with the case prior to confirmation of their infection, to assess them as necessary and provide advice.
“UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed,” Hopkins stressed.
Only third case ever
Prior to this case, there have been 2 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever imported to the UK, in 2012 and one in 2014. There was no evidence of onward transmission from either of these cases.
The principal carriers of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever are Hyalomma ticks, these are not established in the UK and the virus has never been detected here in a tick.
People living in or visiting endemic areas should use personal protective measures to avoid contact with ticks, including avoiding areas where ticks are abundant at times when they are active, using tick repellents and checking clothing and skin carefully for ticks.