The Directorate General of Health (DGS) has confirmed the first case of fever Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic disease in Portugal (FHCC). The incident resulted in the death of an 80-year-old man hospitalized in Bragança Hospital.
The man, who was engaged in agricultural activities during the incubation period, developed the first symptoms of the disease on July 11 of this year.
The disease can be transmitted through ticks infected with the virus, the DGS report explains.
Following an alert from the Ricardo Jorge National Institute of Health (INSA) on August 14 about an FHCC infection, health authorities launched an epidemiological investigation, “including contact tracing.”
During the investigation, authorities did not record any trips outside Portugal, and only noted some outdoor activities in the area of residence.
“No contacts with possible symptoms or additional cases of the disease have been identified,” the State Health Service added.
Authorities said “enhanced entomological investigations are still ongoing to collect ticks from the patient’s area of residence, as well as to investigate the possible detection of ticks infected with the FHCC virus.”
There are more and more cases
The number of reported cases of FHCC in Europe has been increasing in recent years as a result of rising temperatures in southern Europe, the DGS explained.
“In Spain, cases of FHCC have been detected since 2013, since then 16 cases have been confirmed, the last two in April and June 2024 in communities bordering Portugal.”
Ticks infected with the FHCC virus have been found in both Spain and France.
There is no risk of outbreak
Amid concerns that Portugal has recorded its first death from the disease, the DGS said it was a “rare and sporadic case.”
The health authority said there was no risk of outbreak or transmission as the virus had not yet been detected in the ticks monitored.
However, DGS is committed to maintaining attention and surveillance of the disease.
Author: Miguel Pinheiro Correia
Source: CM Jornal
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