Woman in UK diagnosed with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever

The woman, who is thought to have contracted the disease in central Asia, is being treated at the Royal Free hospital in London. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

A woman is receiving specialist treatment for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in London after travelling to central Asia, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

The viral disease is usually transmitted by ticks and livestock animals in countries where it is endemic. It is only the third time a case has ever been identified in the UK.