ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) health ministry on Thursday confirmed a new case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Duhok, bringing the Region’s total number of confirmed infections this year to three.
The patient is a 23-year-old man from Baze village in Erbil province’s Soran Administration who is believed to have contracted the virus after coming into contact with an infected animal, the ministry said in a statement.
The man sought medical attention at a hospital in Duhok after developing symptoms consistent with the disease. Tests subsequently confirmed the infection and he was admitted to hospital for treatment.
He remains under medical supervision and his condition is stable, according to the ministry.
The ministry said several suspected cases have been investigated in the Kurdistan Region this year, but only three have been confirmed. Two additional patients from outside the Region have also been treated at hospitals in the Kurdistan Region.
The latest case comes amid a wider outbreak across Iraq. In early July, Iraq’s health ministry said the country had recorded 270 CCHF cases and 17 deaths since the beginning of 2026, with the southern province of Dhi Qar accounting for more than 100 infections.
CCHF is a zoonotic viral disease transmitted primarily through infected ticks or contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals. It can also spread between people through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Iraq has experienced repeated outbreaks since the disease was first recorded in the country in 1979.
The KRG health ministry urged residents to follow its health guidelines and notify veterinary teams if livestock show signs of illness. It also called on people who come into contact with animals or animal products to seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms.
