Killer virus symptoms as 'highly likely' it will reach UK
New instances of a deadly virus have been identified in popular holiday destinations frequented by Brits
One of the early symptoms of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a severe headache
(Image: Getty )
New instances of a deadly virus have been identified in popular holiday destinations frequented by Brits, and experts are warning it could soon reach the UK. The virus, known as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), is currently considered the most significant threat to public health, having already caused outbreaks in Iraq and Namibia.
The disease has also resulted in two reported fatalities in Pakistan and several cases have been documented in Spain. Last week, sources speaking to Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee revealed that it was "highly likely" the UK would soon see cases.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recently reported a case of CCHF in Spain, noting that the disease is 'known to be circulating among animals in this region and human CCHF cases have been previously reported in the area. "From 2016 to 2024, a total of 16 autochthonous CCHF cases were reported in Spain, with disease onset occurring between April and August. The province of Salamanca is a hotspot for CCHF, with half of the cases resulting from tick exposure.The report further states that under certain conditions in Spain, people are significantly more likely to contract Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: "This risk drastically increases for people performing activities that expose them to tick bites (e.g. hunting, forestry work, hiking, animal surveillance).
The UK Health Security Agency has reported that an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 human infections occur globally each year, including approximately 500 fatalities. However, this figure is likely underestimated due to unreported cases.
Confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) have been imported into the UK in the past, including a fatal case in 2012 and another in 2014. In March 2022, another CCHF case was reported in the UK following a positive test result, reports the Mirror.
To prevent CCHF:
"As a general precaution against CCHF, but also against other tick-borne diseases, people who may potentially be exposed to ticks should apply personal protective measures against tick bites. In 2023 experts speaking to Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee revealed it was " In 2023, experts informed Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee that it was "highly likely" there could soon be cases in the UK.
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During the hearing, James Wood, head of veterinary medicine at Cambridge University, suggested that CCHF could reach the UK "through our ticks, at some point". The disease is caused by Nairovirus, which is spread by ticks and has a fatality rate of between 10 and 40 percent according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Typically found in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, the disease could be expanding beyond its usual territories and moving towards countries like Britain and France due to climate change, as reported by the Express.
The World Health Organisation has identified CCHF amongst its nine "priority diseases", a classification that highlights the most significant public health threats. The condition was initially documented in Crimea during 1944, affecting military personnel and farm workers, and by 1969 scientists had established that the pathogen responsible was the same virus that had been isolated from a Congolese child in 1956.
Humans (and potentially non-human primates) represent the sole animal species known to develop serious clinical manifestations of CCHF.
Signs of CCHF
The virus presents with various symptoms including severe headaches, elevated temperature, spinal and joint discomfort, abdominal pain, and nausea. Bloodshot eyes, facial flushing, throat redness, and petechiae (small red marks) across the roof of the mouth are frequently observed.
In serious instances, the WHO cautions, patients may experience yellowing of the skin, emotional instability and altered sensory awareness. As the condition advances, extensive severe bruising, heavy nosebleeds, and uncontrollable haemorrhaging at injection points may develop, typically commencing around the fourth day of the illness and persisting for approximately a fortnight.
During recorded CCHF outbreaks, mortality rates amongst hospitalised individuals have varied from nine per cent to as much as 50 per cent. The lasting consequences of CCHF infection remain insufficiently researched in survivors to establish whether particular complications arise.
Nevertheless, recuperation is gradual. There have been instances of human infection reported globally in at least 55 countries, either through case reports or virological or serological evidence.
In Europe and its neighbouring regions, local human cases and/or outbreaks have been reported in Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine. Spain reported its first locally acquired case in August 2016, marking the first instance in Western Europe, following their initial detection of CCHFV infected ticks in 2010.
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As of the end of October 2023, French officials have reported the detection of CCHFV in H. marginatum ticks collected from cattle in the eastern Pyrénées, marking the first confirmation of the virus's presence in tick populations within the country.
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