TEHRAN – Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has claimed more lives and infected more people over the current [Iranian calendar] year (began on March 21), compared to the past two years.

Over the past seven months, 78 people have been diagnosed with the disease, nine of whom lost their lives, IRNA quoted Behzad Amiri, director of the zoonotic diseases management office at the Ministry of Health, as saying on Tuesday.

This year, the number of deaths and cases increased in the country compared to the last 2 years, he further lamented.

Last year (March 2021-March 2022), 13 persons were diagnosed with Crimean-Congo fever in the country, of whom 2 died, and a year before that, Crimean-Congo fever infected 40 people and claimed 5 lives.

According to the World Health Organization, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks.

The virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected persons.

CCHF outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 40 percent. There is no vaccine available for either people or animals.

CCHF is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, West Asia, and East Asia, in countries south of the 50th parallel north.

FB/MG