ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s health ministry on Sunday confirmed that two people have died and 17 others have contracted the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) across the country, adding that the government has begun implementing preventative measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Iraqi Health Minister Saleh Mahdi al-Hasnawi stated that “so far, 19 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded - seven in Dhi Qar and four in Kirkuk, two of which were fatal,” while the remaining cases are spread across various provinces.
The minister said that the two fatalities in Kirkuk involved a butcher who initially contracted the virus and a nurse who was infected after treating him. Both passed away on Saturday.
CCHF is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted to humans through multiple routes, including bites from infected ticks, contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals, exposure to bodily fluids of infected individuals, and consumption of raw or undercooked meat from infected livestock.
Hasnawi stressed the importance of prevention, urging citizens to handle meat with caution. He advised people, especially homemakers, to use protective gloves and separate knives when preparing raw meat.
“Meat should be thoroughly washed and boiled before cooking,” he added.
In the Kurdistan Region, no CCHF cases have been detected so far, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reported, adding that the Region adopted “precautionary measures” in advance.
Rabar Muhammad, director-general of animal wealth and veterinary at the KRG’s agriculture and water resources ministry, told Rudaw on Saturday that “a joint cooperation room was established last month involving [Erbil’s] agriculture, health and interior ministries to apply protective medicinal rinse to livestock.”
Muhammad added that the KRG has allocated some 2.7 billion Iraqi dinars (around $2 million) since 2023 to purchase the necessary medication to control the spread of CCHF..
Although some individuals may experience mild symptoms, CCHF is often severe and can lead to internal bleeding, coma, and multi-organ failure, particularly affecting the liver, kidneys, and respiratory system. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus has a fatality rate of up to 40 percent.
Iraqi Health Minister Hasnawi on Sunday stated that his ministry is “exerting full efforts” to control the outbreak and reassured the public that “with the proper measures in place, transmission to our citizens will be very rare and the virus will be contained.”
