Urgent health warning for Europe-bound tourists as fatal eye bleeding disease reported

Tourists have been warned after a woman, aged 27, reportedly died due to an eye bleeding disease on July 27. The unidentified woman is thought to have contracted the illness after getting bitten on July 19 while visiting Štip in the eastern regions, as per Mirror reports.

She was taken to the hospital four days later, according to the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.

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What caused eye bleeding disease?

Eye bleeding disease is caused by Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. (Image via Pexels/ Noelle Otto)

The woman developed the tick-borne disease Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in North Macedonia. She had started to experience flu-like symptoms, which worsened. According to the World Health Organisation, this eye bleeding disease can kill up to 40% of individuals who contract it.

Since CCHF may spread between people by blood or other bodily fluids, authorities have already made an effort to find 67 of the victim's contacts. Since its discovery in Crimea in 1944, CCHF has spread to be endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and a few Asian nations.

In addition to other types of bleeding, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) can also induce eye bleeding. Hemorrhagic symptoms, which include bleeding from various body parts, including mucous membranes like those in the eyes and other organs, are common in severe cases of CCHF.

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What is CCHF?

CCHF is now endemic to Africa, Middle East, and some Asian countries. (Image via Unsplash/ Joel Staveley)

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral illness that is caused by the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). Humans are primarily exposed to it through the bite of infected ticks.

Common crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever symptoms include:

• Fever
• Muscle ache
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Stomach ache
• Fatigue

Most CCHF instances occur in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. It can lead to outbreaks or epidemics, which are frequently connected to contact with livestock, especially cattle and goats. Visitors to areas where the CCHF is endemic should take steps to avoid tick bites and interaction with animals that may be carrying the infection or their fluids.

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Is CCHF contagious?

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) can spread by direct contact with infected people's blood or bodily fluids, in particular. Although tick bites are the main method of transmission, the virus can also pass from person to person by contact with the following:

Blood: Transmission from an infected person's blood can occur through close contacts, such as those made through cuts, open wounds, or mucous membranes.

Body Fluids: Contacting saliva, urine, vomit, and feces of an infected person increases the risk of contracting the disease.

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To minimize the risk of transmission of this eye bleeding disease, precautions like wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), performing good hand hygiene, and adhering to infection control procedures are crucial. In order to prevent infection, people in endemic areas should take steps to avoid tick bites and contact with animals that may be infected or their bodily fluids.

One major worry is that neither humans nor animals with the disease presently have access to vaccination. People can contract CCHF through tick bites or contact with infected animal blood or tissues soon after the animal has been killed.