(Adnkronos) – The death toll from Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Iraq has risen to 30, with a total of 231 cases registered nationwide since the beginning of this year, the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced today. Ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said in a statement that the southern province of Dhi Qar recorded the highest number of infections, with 84 cases and four deaths, followed by Baghdad with 38 cases and six deaths.
The latest update marks an increase from the data announced by the Iraqi health authorities on June 12, which stood at 123 cases and 19 deaths. Al-Badr recommended that citizens buy meat from slaughterhouses approved by the health authorities, store it at very low freezing temperatures and ensure that it is cooked at high temperatures, to eliminate pathogens.
CCHF, characterized by fever, muscle aches, headache and bleeding, has a high mortality rate, ranging from 10% to 40%. Since the late 1970s, CCHF has been the most common viral hemorrhagic fever in Iraq. It is transmitted to humans mainly through tick bites or contact with blood and tissues of infected animals, especially livestock. Since then, Iraq has recorded recurring outbreaks of CCHF. The most serious occurred in 2023, when over 587 cases and 83 deaths were reported, mainly affecting the southern provinces.
