Brits heading to Spain on alert as '40 per cent deadly' virus found
Brits planning to jet off to Spain are warned as a potentially fatal disease causing multi-organ failure has been detected in the tourist haven of Salamanca. The Foreign Office-run website Travel Health Pro flagged up a case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), sparking fears for holidaymakers' health.
The disease can manifest with no symptoms, or progressively worse conditions such as fever, headaches, diarrhoea and vomiting, eye soreness, confusion, bleeding, bruising, and ultimately, multi-organ failure and shock. Alarmingly, for those unlucky enough to catch the illness, the fatality rate can soar to a stunning 40%, as observed by Travel Health Pro.
In a critical update, Travel Health Pro announced: "On 28 May 2025, local health officials have reported a confirmed case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Salamanca. The case was exposed via a tick bite."
Earlier this year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) classified CCHF as a significant hazard to public wellness. Globally, an estimated 10-15,000 human cases occur each year, with around 500 fatalities, and experts believe these figures are underreported, as numerous instances likely remain unidentified.
This disease is predominantly present in Africa, southern regions of Europe, the Middle East, and certain parts of Asia. The first reported case was in Spain in 2013, followed by Portugal in 2024.
According to Travel Health Pro, "In fatal cases, death occurs from haemorrhage, multi-organ failure and shock. It is possible that many people who are infected do not have symptoms, making it difficult to know the true number of cases."
The UK Health Security Agency has created a "priority pathogen" list designed to guide scientists and researchers in focusing their efforts and accelerate vaccine development when necessary. This list encompasses 24 pathogen families and is the first to address global health risks alongside those specific to the UK populace.
Chief Scientific Officer for UKHSA, Dr Isabel Oliver, stated: "We live at the time of increasing challenges and increasing risks from infectious diseases.
"But at the same time we have got, thanks to scientific advancement, better tools than we've ever had to protect health against these threats. Having said that there are areas where we still need more or better diagnostics, vaccines and medicines and therapeutics, and this tool has been designed to help inform the work of government research funders, but also our partners in industry and academia who are critical to the development of these tools that we so desperately need."
Experts have developed a new tool to assess the pandemic and epidemic potential of viral families, considering factors like disease severity, transmission routes, and historical pandemics.
Each viral group has been assigned a risk level of high, medium, or low by UKHSA scientists, with additional details on climate change sensitivity, vaccine availability, and human-to-human transmission likelihood included in the assessment.
The list isn't an indicator of the most probable cause for the next pandemic but highlights areas needing more research and investment, as explained by Dr Oliver: "We haven't ranked because the situation is constantly evolving, as you can imagine, and one of the things that we do in the UKHSA is undertake surveillance and monitor threats."
Dr Oliver also expressed concern over the shifting distribution of disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks due to climate and environmental changes.
She elaborated on the risks posed by vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, which are being closely monitored by the UKHSA for their potential impact on both human and animal health.
"The UKHSA maintains surveillance of mosquitoes and ticks, and we work with partners in local government and animal health and other sectors to really understand any changes that might potentially affect our health in the UK."
The UKHSA has released a "priority pathogen" list.
VIRUSES
Adenoviruses
Arenaviruses (Lassa fever)
Calciviruses (norovirus)
Coronaviruses (Covid-19)
Filoviruses (Ebola, Marburg, Sudan virus)
Flaviviruses (Dengue, zika, hepatitis C)
Hantaviruses
Nairoviruses (Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever)
Orthomyxoviruses (flu)
Paramyxoviruses (Nipah virus)
Peribunyaviruses (Oropouche fever)
Phenuviruses (Rift Valley fever)
Picornaviruses (Polio)
Pneumoviruses (human metapneumovirus/hMPV)
Poxviruses (mpox)
Togaviruses (Chikungunya)
BACTERIA
Bacillaceae (anthrax)
Coxiellaceae (Q fever)
Enterobacteria (plague)
Francisellacae (tularaemia)
Moraxellaceae (pneumonia and UTIs)
Neisseriaceae (gonorrhoea)
Staphylococcaceae (cellulitis, pneumonia)
Streptococcaceae (meningitis, scarlet fever, septicaemia)
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