Man dies of contagious disease after Afghanistan trip

IED, RPG and CCHF?

Man dies of contagious disease after Afghanistan trip
A rare tropical disease which causes severe bleeding claims its first victim in the UK.

London's Royal Free Hospital confirmed that a 38-year-old man being treated for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after returning to the UK from Afghanistan has died.

It is the first laboratory-confirmed case of the deadly virus in the UK, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Other passengers who sat close to the victim on a plane are undergoing daily health checks.

CCHF is a zoonotic disease - one that can pass from domestic and wild animals - and is carried by ticks. It is especially common in east and west Africa.

It kills about one in three people who contract it. Flu-like symptoms can rapidly worsen and victims can suffer mood swings followed by uncontrollable bleeding, swelling to the liver and severe bruising.

There is no vaccine in general use and treatment options are limited. But doctors say the risk of a widespread epidemic is very low as the virus cannot be transmitted through the air.
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