Namibia declares outbreak after Crimean-Congo fever case confirmed

Namibia has declared an outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever after a confirmed case resulted in the patient’s death, according to health officials.

Namibia’s Ministry of Health and Social Services said that the patient was admitted to a health facility in the capital, Windhoek, last Tuesday and died the following day. Officials said laboratory testing later confirmed the virus.

Health officials said the confirmation meets World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for declaring an outbreak. No additional suspected cases were mentioned.

The patient was from the Khomas Region in central Namibia. The ministry said it has initiated contact tracing, surveillance, and other measures to prevent further transmission.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic illness spread primarily through bites from infected ticks, particularly of the Hyalomma genus. It can also spread through contact with infected animal blood or tissues and, less commonly, through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected people.

The disease typically begins with sudden fever, headache, muscle pain, and nausea, followed in some cases by bleeding symptoms such as bruising or nosebleeds, according to the World Health Organization. Symptoms can appear within one to thirteen days after exposure, depending on the route of transmission.

There is no vaccine, and treatment relies on supportive care. The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Namibia last experienced confirmed cases of the virus between 2016 and 2023, when seven infections and four deaths were recorded, according to the notice. Fatality rates in hospitalized patients can range from 9% to 50% in documented outbreaks.