A man is critically ill in hospital in Glasgow after contracting a potentially fatal tick-borne illness.

The 38-year-old man was diagnosed with Crimean-Congo Viral Haemorrhagic Fever shortly after returning home to the city on a connecting flight from Dubai on Tuesday.

Greater Glasgow Health Board said he was being treated in isolation in the Brownlee specialist unit at Gartnavel Hospital.

The risk of the illness transmitting to other passengers is low, but health officials said they had contacted three passengers who sat closest to the man on Emirates flight EK027, which landed at 12.35pm.

Dr Syed Ahmed, Consultant in Public Health with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, told BBC Radio Scotland there was a low risk of transmission. He said on Friday morning: "You need to be in close contact with someone's infected blood and body fluid but obviously we cannot 100% rule it out, that's why we want to make sure that the people who sat next to him are monitored."

Asked whether officials have managed to reach the other passengers on the plane yet, he replied: "Yes, we haven't spoken to them but we have communicated to them with their email address and Health Protection Scotland has emailed them and asked them to contact them as soon as possible."

Crimean-Congo Viral Haemorrhagic Fever is usually transmitted by tick bites and proves fatal in around 30% of cases.

The disease is endemic in parts of eastern and southern Europe, central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

Sufferers initially show flu-like symptoms before developing haemorraging, changes in mood and sensory perception, and vomiting. Red eyes, a flushed face, a red throat, and petechiae (red spots) on the palate are common.

More severe symptoms include jaundice, acute kidney failure and respiratory problems.

Passengers who travelled on flight EK027 can call NHS24 on 08000 858531 for advice, information and reassurance.