Iraq Confirms 14 Hemorrhagic Fever Cases, Two Fatal
"Two deaths have been confirmed in Kirkuk, one of them a health worker," a spokesperson for Iraq's Health Ministry told reporters, highlighting the occupational risk facing frontline personnel and livestock handlers.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday that 14 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded across the country since the start of 2025, including two fatalities in Kirkuk, raising fresh concerns over the spread of this highly infectious viral disease.
Dr. Saif al-Badr, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, stated that the cases are geographically distributed across several provinces: six in Dhi Qar, four in Kirkuk, and one case each in Baghdad, Muthanna, Nineveh, and Basra. "Two deaths have been confirmed in Kirkuk, one of them a health worker," al-Badr told reporters, highlighting the occupational risk facing frontline personnel and livestock handlers.
According to al-Badr, the virus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected animals—especially cattle and sheep—or their meat, as well as tick bites. He stressed that early diagnosis is critical, noting that the disease can be managed and treated if caught in time. Most of those infected work in close proximity to livestock.
Hemorrhagic fever, which has been endemic in Iraq since the late 1970s, causes severe symptoms and can lead to internal bleeding and organ failure. Al-Badr urged the public to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms arise. He also underscored the importance of meat hygiene, recommending that meat be stored at low temperatures and cooked thoroughly to kill any potential pathogens.
The Ministry of Health’s statement follows an earlier report by Kurdistan24’s correspondent in Kirkuk, Soran Kamaran, who confirmed that one of the fatalities was a member of the city’s medical staff. “The individual had been diagnosed a few days ago and experienced severe complications in recent hours before succumbing to the illness today,” Kamaran reported, adding that the deceased had been transferred to the forensic medicine department for legal procedures before the body was released to the family.
Kamaran also noted that two additional patients remain under observation in Kirkuk and are currently in stable condition. The city has recorded four cases in total over the past week, making it one of the hardest-hit regions in this latest resurgence of the disease.
Although Iraq experienced record-high infection and mortality rates from hemorrhagic fever in 2024, health authorities successfully contained the previous outbreak. The Ministry of Health now urges renewed vigilance and adherence to public health guidance to prevent another widespread crisis.
The resurgence of the virus so early in the year has renewed pressure on Iraq’s healthcare system, with medical staff and rural communities urged to take extra precautions as the country braces for a potential uptick in cases in the coming months.
