Turkey is battling the largest-ever recorded outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), which has killed at least 20 people this year, with experts saying on Tuesday that more cases of the Ebola-like disease are inevitable in coming months. Most of the cases have occurred in six provinces in the Black Sea and Central Anatolia regions: Tokat, Sivas, Gumushane, Amasya, Yozgat and Corum."We will unfortunately keep seeing cases at least until September, when the virus starts to slow down because of the cold weather," said Dr Önder Ergönül, an associate professor at Marmara University who has been involved with the government's response to the outbreak.
Authorities at the World Health Organization (WHO) are awaiting further information from the Turkish government, including where the other cases have arisen. Turkish authorities say no cases have been reported in tourist areas along the Mediterranean coast.
By Aug. 4, the disease was responsible for 242 cases, including 20 deaths, making it the largest reported outbreak since it was first identified in 1944, authorities say. Last week a nurse treating patients with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever died after being accidentally infected by a needle. To date four healthcare workers have been infected, though there have been no reports of the virus spreading in hospitals.
"There have been large outbreaks of this virus before, but we are concerned about the size of this particular outbreak in Turkey," said WHO's Regional Advisor for Communicable Diseases in the European Region Dr. Bernardus Ganter. "We are reassured that the outbreak appears limited to only one part of Turkey, in Anatolia," said Ergönül. More than 90 percent of cases have been reported in people who have had direct contact with animals, according to Ergönül.