Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever takes three lives in Georgia
TBILISI. Aug 13 (Interfax) - Twelve Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) occurrences have been confirmed by laboratory testing in the Khashuri district of Georgia (the Shida Kartli area in central Georgia). Three patients died.
"The situation is so complicated that we may say we are dealing with an epidemic of this acute infectious disease," Khashuri District Public Health Center Head David Chikovani told reporters late on Tuesday night.
In all, Georgia has recorded 15 CCHF cases this year. "Twelve cases have occurred in our district, which is naturally a source of our profound concern," Chikovani said.
He noted that three patients died despite doctors' effort to save their lives.
Georgia had only two to three CCHF cases a year in the previous period.
CCHF is a very dangerous natural focal tick-borne infectious disease with such symptoms as a fever, severe intoxication and skin and internal organ hemorrhage. It was first discovered in Crimea in 1944, with a similar occurrence in Congo in 1956. Tests demonstrated that the viruses found in Crimea and Congo were identical.
