Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: DGS on the ground collecting ticks for virus testing

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: DGS on the ground collecting ticks for virus testing

The Directorate General of Health (DGS) is conducting field investigations, through the collection of ticks, to look for traces of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, which caused the death of a person in Bragança.

So far, no more ticks carrying the virus have been found, so the General Directorate of Public Security confirms that there is no cause for concern.

Portugal's first victim of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever was admitted to Bragança Hospital on July 11 with unspecified symptoms. He eventually died, but the disease was only diagnosed after his death, this week. The man, who was over 80 years old, had been infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

The victim lived in a village in the municipality of Bragança, where he worked as a farmer. He was in the field doing agricultural activities, he was in contact with animals, and thus he was bitten by an insect that transmits the virus.

However, the DGS has already conducted an examination with people who had close contact with the victim. No other cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever have been found among the man's family and friends.

This is the first case in Portugal after several cases appeared in Spain in recent years, the most recent in the border area.

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By Andrea Hargraves

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