ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq is leading the country in cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever this year, with 18 occurrences reported and three deaths, according to local veterinary officials.
“Since the start of the year in Iraq, more than 40 instances of [Crimean-Congo] hemorrhagic fever have been recorded, and six of them have passed away,” Mohammed Aziz al-Mayahi, head of Dhi Qar’s veterinary directorate, told Rudaw on Monday.
According to Mayahi, Dhi Qar has recorded 18 cases and 3 deaths in 2024, with half of the cases occurring in the Shatra district.
Nineveh and Baghdad have each confirmed six cases. One death has been recorded in each province. Babil province has four cases and one death. There was no recent data immediately available for the Kurdistan Region.
The Crimean-Congo fever is a tick-borne illness that causes severe hemorrhaging. It has been endemic to Iraq since 1979 and has appeared in greater numbers since 2021, sparking fear among locals, especially in southern provinces.
The disease can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or other body fluids, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Some symptoms of the fever include bleeding, severe headaches, fatigue, blue marks on the skin and blood in the urine.
By Didar Abdalrahman
