The official death toll of people affected by Q-Fever since the outbreak in 2007 now stands at 74, an increase of 26 since the number was last updated, NU.nl reports.

The reason for the increase in deaths can be attributed to patients still carrying the live bacteria after the 2007 outbreak. The disease has symptoms of fever, headache, muscle aches and a decreased heart rate, among other things.

According to Annemieke de Groot, managing director of foundation Q-support, it is still important for doctors to remain alert and be able to recognize the symptoms. The foundation will explain the increased death toll at a conference at the Brabant provincial house in Den Bosch on June 20th.

The Q-Fever outbreak in the Netherlands in 2007 is considered one of the largest outbreak of this disease in the world. Thousands of people in the Netherlands fell ill. The disease is usually transmitted from animals to humans.