ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Seven people have died from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Iraq and 53 others have been confirmed to be infected, a senior official from the Iraqi health ministry told Rudaw on Monday.
Riyadh al-Halfi, Director General of the Public Health Directorate at the health ministry, told Rudaw’s Ziyad Ismael that “any patient showing symptoms consistent with hemorrhagic fever, along with a history of contact with animals or raw meat, is treated as a suspected case.”
Blood samples are then collected from these individuals and sent to the specialized laboratories for confirmation, he explained.
Halfi further noted that “treatments are available in all hospitals across Iraq,” adding that “antiviral medications and supportive remedies are being used to help accelerate the patients’ recovery from the infection.”
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.
Preventive measures include the use of protective gear - such as gloves, masks, and goggles - especially for those who work with animals or meat.
Veterinary hospitals have since late April been conducting large-scale tick control campaigns to reduce transmission.
The Iraqi government around that time stated that it is “exerting full efforts” to contain the outbreak, reassuring citizens that “with proper measures in place, transmission to citizens will remain rare.” The ministry urged caution in meat handling, especially among homemakers, recommending the use of protective gloves and separate utensils for raw meat.
The Kurdistan Region on Friday recorded the first case of CCHF in the town of Koya, southeast of Erbil, according to the Region’s health ministry..
The infected person, a 42-year-old butcher, is currently receiving treatment and is in stable condition, ministry spokesperson Sarkar Surchi said.
Halfi told Rudaw on Monday, “We are closely monitoring the situation in the Kurdistan Region,” adding that the cooperation entails “providing treatments and diagnostic supplies, and treating the Region’s provinces.”
The director general of the Public Health Directorate at the Iraqi health ministry further confirmed to Rudaw that Baghdad in late April allocated emergency funds to the ministries of agriculture and health to step up “tick control” efforts.
“Directives to prevent unregulated slaughtering and livestock movement” were also issued, Halfi elaborated.
“We are working in full coordination with all stakeholders, including veterinary services, to break the cycle of infection,” he said, reaffirming the government's commitment to a nationwide public health response.
