A total of 42 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever have been confirmed in Georgia in the last 7 months, with 2 resulting in death and the lethality rate standing at 4.7%. Such a statement made the Head of the National Centre for Disease Control.

According to Amiran Gamkrelidze, this year the Georgian health authorities registered the most cases compared to the previous years. The disease in the country first appeared in 2009 with overall 164 confirmed cases and 21 deaths. The Head of the NCDC underlined the importance of timely treatment of the disease in the earlier stage.

Widespread in African, Asian countries, the Balkans, the Middle East, Russia and Turkey, the disease in Georgia is endemic, the health official said, adding it was transmitted by ticks from various animals, especially domestic ones.