ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has claimed two lives in Kirkuk, including a healthcare worker, a source from the local health directorate confirmed on Saturday.
"Hemorrhagic fever has spread in the [Kirkuk] governorate, leading to the deaths of a nurse and a butcher," the source told Rudaw.
The nurse is believed to have contracted the virus from the butcher. Another confirmed case is currently receiving treatment at Kirkuk General Hospital.
The nurse, identified as Yadgar Nuri, was in his early 20s and worked in the emergency department of the hospital. He passed away early Saturday morning, a few days after testing positive for the virus.
The mayor of Kirkuk city, Falah Khalil Yayji, told Rudaw that a large-scale campaign was launched on Saturday to curb the spread of the disease. They will stop the unregulated slaughter of animals, confiscate unlicensed meat, and prohibit raising of livestock in residential neighborhoods, he said.
The federal Ministry of Health is also raising public awareness via its social media platforms about the risks of the virus and how to prevent its spread.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s agriculture ministry said no hemorrhagic fever cases have been registered in the Kurdistan Region and they have taken “precautionary measures” in advance.
“An operation room was formed last month between the agriculture, interior, and health ministries to apply protective medicinal rinse to animals,” Rabar Mohammed, the director general of livestock and veterinary medicine, told Rudaw on Saturday.
He added that the KRG has allocated 2.7 billion Iraqi dinar (around $2 million) since 2023 purchase medicine necessary to prevent the spread of CCHF.
CCHF is a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted to humans through several routes, including contact with the blood or tissues of infected animals, bites from infected ticks, direct exposure to bodily fluids of infected individuals, and consumption of raw or undercooked meat from infected livestock.
While some cases present with mild symptoms, the disease is frequently fatal. Severe symptoms may include internal bleeding, coma, and multi-organ failure affecting the liver, kidneys, and respiratory system. The World Health Organization estimates the fatality rate can reach up to 40%.
CCHF has been endemic in Iraq since 1979, but has seen a resurgence since 2021, particularly in the southern provinces, raising public health concerns.
There were at least 211 recorded cases of CCHF in Iraq last year, including 26 deaths.
Updated at 9:03 pm
