Residents are heading outdoors in the warmer weather, which has also seen tick activity increasing. The first tick-borne Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) infections were reported in late April and to date, eight cases have been recorded, mostly from the SW region of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Shida Kartli in the NE. While in Latvia, authorities have warned that more than 20 percent of ticks analysed this year have tested positive for the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. Substantially fewer ticks showed the presence of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) – nationally, 50 TBE cases were recorded last year. 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.