One dead in Kirkuk due to Congo fever
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A butcher lost his life in Kirkuk on Wednesday amid an outbreak of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a health official said, days after the disease claimed the lives of two people in the city.
'Today, a 52-year-old citizen, who was a butcher, died due to hemorrhagic fever,' Kirkuk health directorate spokesperson Saman Yaba told Rudaw.
Yaba also confirmed that a 37-year-old nurse tested positive for the disease. 'She is currently under medical supervision,' he said.
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.
At least 22 people across Iraq have been infected with CCHF since the beginning of the year, according to statistics from the health ministry released Wednesday, three of whom have died.
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