A killer virus spreading across Africa, the Middle East and parts of Europe is feared to be expanding out of its usual territories and could reach the UK, experts have warned.
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a virus usually transmitted by ticks, and is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, with cases also reported in Spain. The virus, which can also be spread from person to person, has a fatality rate of between 10% and 40% and there is currently no vaccine available, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Last week, insiders speaking to Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee said it was "highly likely" there could soon be cases of CCHF in the UK. It's thought that climate change could be causing the disease to expand out of its usual territories and move towards the likes of Britain and France, The Mirror reports.
