Three women die from Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever in Georgia

Three people have died from Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and 12 further cases have been confirmed in Georgia, say experts.  

Laboratory analysis confirmed the cases in Khashuri town of Shida Kartli district in Georgia. The youngest person infected with the disease was four years old. People with active contact with cattle are the majority of infected patients, experts said.  

"The Situation in Khashuri is so complicated that we could say there is an epidemic outbreak," said head of Khashuri Social Health Centre David  Chikovani.

"As far as I know 15 cases  in total have been confirmed throughout the country and when 12 out of these are recorded in Khashuri, obviously there is reason for concern,” Chikovani said.  

He confirmed three people had died from the disease and despite the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) doing everything it could to improve the situation, additional complex measures were needed in collaboration with other agencies.  

The Deputy head of the NCDC, Paata Imnadze however believed that 17 cases were not 'critical' and the population who had an often contact with cattle should consider the sanitary rules as well as using special treatments for the cattle.

Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widespread tick-borne viral disease that can affect humans when they come into contact with infected domestic and wild animals .  

The pathogenic virus, especially common in East and West Africa, is a member of the Bunyaviridae family of RNA viruses. Clinical disease is rare in infected mammals but commonly severe in infected humans, with a 30 percent mortality rate.   Outbreaks of the illness are usually attributable to handling infected animals or people.  

Entomologists discovered disease-bearing ticks in several villages around Khashuri and increasing numbers of patients from rural areas were presentes with the illness at hospitals.  

High temperature, dizziness, cold-like symptoms and bruising were symptoms of  Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. A therapy course is being performed on several patients by the National Center for Infectious Diseases.