ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kirkuk recorded the first case of Congo hemorrhagic fever, a health official told Rudaw on Sunday as Iraq’s southern provinces see an outbreak of the infection.
The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, also known as Congo fever, is tick-borne and causes severe hemorrhaging.
People are often infected after they are exposed to the blood of infected animals, often after slaughtering livestock.
Kirkuk Health Director Nabil Hamdi Bushnaq said the new case is a butcher who works in the province and has now been isolated in a hospital.
Congo fever has been endemic to Iraq since 1979, according to World Health Organization (WHO). It can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.
It disappeared over the years but reappeared again last year, sparking fear among locals.
Iraq has recorded at least five deaths and 18 cases of the infection since the start of the year, a toll that is expected to increase, according to state media.
The southern province of Dhi Qar, widely regarded as the source of the disease in Iraq, recorded the highest number of infections. The area is known for rearing cattle, sheep, and goats, all of which are potential carriers of the disease.
The Iraqi agriculture ministry on Thursday said it is taking precautions to curb the spread of the infection.
Signs of the fever include bleeding, excessive headaches, fatigue, blue marks on the skin, and hematuria - blood in the urine - amongst others.
Treatment of the infection include general supportive care and the use of antiviral drugs, says WHO.
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