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Fifty nine Crimean-Congo fever cases registered in Russia in 2022 – expert

In 2021, the number of patients with this diagnosis was 49

MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. Specialists registered 59 Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases in Russia in 2022, compared to 49 in the last year, Deputy Director of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology Natalia Pshenichnaya told TASS on Sunday.

The number of patients asking for help due to tick bites is growing, the South Ossetia newspaper said earlier. Expert of the Ministry of Health and Social Development Eleonora Dzhioeva told the newspaper about her concerns regarding the appearance and the potential spread of borreliosis and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in the Republic.

"Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in latitudes below the 50th parallel of north latitude is not an unusual phenomenon. Comfortable climatic conditions evolve in such latitudes for habitation of ticks of the Hyalomma genus - main carriers and reservoirs of the infection, and for replication of the virus - infectious agent of this infection in them. The disease is endemic for southern regions of Russia. For example, 49 infection cases were registered last year and 59 [cases] are known this year," the expert said.

"There is no extraordinary situation in the Republic of South Ossetia," the expert noted. "There is higher awareness of medical workers and the population, necessary laboratory tests are being implemented and prophylaxis activities are underway. Certainly, this influences improved diagnostics of these diseases," Pshenichnaya added.

One confirmed disease case was diagnosed in South Ossetia in 2022, according to official data. There is an opportunity for its laboratory diagnostics at present, the expert said, adding that the situation with infections transmitted by ticks is under continuous strict control.