The elderly man who was hospitalized in Salamanca (Spain) for a case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), caused by a tick bite a week ago, died this week, as confirmed to ‘EFE‘ sources from the Ministry of Health.
After the death, the Ministry has activated the waste management and cleaning protocol, according to the same sources. The patient was in a stable situation, within seriousness and with several isolation and protection measures for this type of situations. Finally, he died a few hours ago. A true tragedy.
What is it?
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a consequence of a virus that is mainly transmitted by the bite of a tick of the ‘Hyaloma’ genus, as occurred in this case, although it can also be communicated between people through contact with the patient’s blood or fluids.
It is currently considered an emerging disease in Eastern European countries and one of the most widespread tick-borne diseases worldwide. From the bite of the infected tick to the appearance of CCHF symptoms, three to thirteen days normally pass.
Symptoms
Symptoms begin suddenly. The sick person usually presents with high fever, headache, general malaise, joint and muscle pain, sweating, gastrointestinal and/or respiratory symptoms, hypotension, relative bradycardia, tachypnea, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis and redness or skin rash.
The evolution of this infection in humans presents four different phases: incubation, prehemorrhagic, hemorrhagic and convalescent period. But serological studies carried out in endemic countries indicate that the infection in humans can occur asymptomatically, although it is difficult to establish what percentage.
recommendations
As preventive measures, health authorities remind us of the importance of wearing appropriate clothing and footwear during outings in the countryside, as well as traveling on roads and using repellents for both people and pets.
Related news
As if this were not enough, carry out active surveillance of the disease in humans in order to detect possible cases early and limit its spread. Any ticks that may have attached should be removed as soon as possible and appropriately, preferably by healthcare professionals.
Follow the Diario AS channel on WhatsAppwhere you will find all the sport in a single space: the current news of the day, the agenda with the latest news of the most important sporting events, the most outstanding images, the opinion of the best AS brands, reports, videos, and some humor from time to time.
