An agricultural worker from a remote area near the eastern city of Štip has died of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) just over a week after finding a tick on his abdomen. The CCHF diagnosis was confirmed post-mortem, while a second, fatal case has been reported in a healthcare worker in contact with the patient at the treating hospital in Skopje. The CCHF virus was first detected in North Macedonia in 1971 and the tick vector is now established in all regions. According to the ECDC, sporadic CCHF cases ‘have also been reported in the neighbouring countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Kosovo’. Read more
Advice for travellers
CCHF virus is transmitted to people either directly by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. The majority of cases have occurred in people involved in the livestock industry, so infection is a low risk to travellers. Read more about the virus.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.