Latest news with #Al-Hayali
Shafaq News
22-04-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
Nineveh declares FMD controlled, No new CCHF cases
Shafaq News/ Veterinary authorities in Iraq's Nineveh province have fully contained a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) among cattle and buffalo, while no new cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) have been reported in the area. Omar Al-Hayali, director of the Nineveh Veterinary Hospital, told Shafaq News that the FMD outbreak, which had spread over the past two months in Mosul and surrounding areas, is now under control. 'There are still a few small hotspots under close monitoring and treatment by specialized veterinary teams,' he said. Al-Hayali confirmed that no new cases of CCHF have been recorded in the province. 'We've had just one confirmed case since the beginning of the year, detected last month,' he added. Al-Hayali urged citizens, especially butchers, to adhere to public health protocols, emphasizing the importance of conducting all animal slaughter within licensed abattoirs under veterinary supervision to ensure animal health and prevent disease transmission. Meanwhile, Nineveh's Health and Agriculture Committee issued recommendations to the local government to prevent further disease outbreaks. The proposals include temporarily banning livestock imports into the province until a clear veterinary assessment is issued, enforcing Iraq's animal health laws, and requesting additional vaccines, medications, mobile teams, and logistical support from the Ministry of Agriculture. On Sunday, Iraq's Ministry of Health announced five new confirmed cases of CCHF across the country, bringing the total to 19 since the beginning of 2025.
Shafaq News
18-02-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
Iraq responds: FMD triggers immediate containment efforts, investigative committee
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraqi health authorities launched disinfection and decontamination campaigns in buffalo farms following the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), while the government formed an investigative committee. FMD in Babil Shafaq News joined veterinary teams from Babil's animal health department on visits to buffalo farms in the Al-Aifar area of Al-Ḥillah City. Meanwhile, health inspection teams checked butcher shops for compliance with health regulations amid the ongoing livestock disease outbreak. FMD in Mosul Omar Al-Hayali, director of the Veterinary Hospital in Mosul, Nineveh's capital, announced strict measures, including a halt to animal movement west of the city after cases were detected in Badosh. "The hospital is closely monitoring the situation," Al-Hayali told Shafaq News, emphasizing that the outbreak remains under control and further updates will be provided soon. Authorities have also formed an emergency task force and initiated surveillance in affected districts. Animal movement in designated outbreak zones has been suspended to prevent further spread across Nineveh. FMD in Basra In Basra, Iraq's southernmost province, veterinary Hospital Director Riyadh Mohammed confirmed cases in the province's northern regions. "The number of infections is low and under control," he stated. "FMD has been endemic in Iraq since the 1930s,' he clarified. 'There is no need for panic, contrary to what is being circulated on social media.' Government Measures Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has ordered an investigative committee to examine the reported cattle and buffalo infections. The committee, composed of veterinary and livestock specialists, has begun field visits, sample collection, and coordination with both local experts and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for lab analysis, according to a statement from his media office. Al-Sudani also instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to assess damages, track infection rates, and monitor the outbreak's spread, assuring citizens that 'this disease affects livestock only and does not pose a risk to humans through the consumption of animal products such as meat, milk, and dairy products.' 'It does not threaten consumer health.' On February 15, the Ministry of Agriculture's Veterinary Department imposed a 14-day ban on animal movement from infected zones, restricting transportation between Baghdad and other provinces. As the outbreak continues, buffalo farmers face difficulties disposing of dead livestock, with some abandoning carcasses on public roads, increasing the risk of disease transmission. While municipal and veterinary teams are working to collect and destroy the carcasses, delays in removal remain a threat to public health and sanitation.
