20-04-2025
Kirkuk fights CCHF with slaughterhouse closures
Shafaq News/ Authorities in Kirkuk have shut down several unlicensed slaughterhouses to contain the spread of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), local officials said on Sunday.
The District Commissioner of Kirkuk Falah Khalil told Shafaq News that the campaign targeted makeshift animal slaughter sites operating without adherence to health and safety regulations, adding that the closures were carried out following judicial approval, and coordinated with the Kirkuk Municipality, the city's veterinary hospital, and the Directorate of Health.
'The effort is ongoing in other parts of the province to protect public health and prevent further transmission of zoonotic diseases,' he pointed out.
The crackdown is being implemented under Animal Health Law No. 32 of 2013, Public Health Law No. 89 of 1981, as well as other decrees and regulations banning unregulated slaughter operations.
The outbreak in Kirkuk is part of a broader national surge in the CCHF cases, with at least 14 confirmed infections and two deaths reported across Iraq since the beginning of 2025. Kirkuk alone has recorded multiple infections in recent days, including a health worker and a resident from Taza, where stray livestock and poor veterinary oversight have been cited as key risk factors.
Authorities have also confirmed cases in Nineveh, Dhi Qar, and Saladin provinces, prompting disinfection campaigns, livestock monitoring, and public awareness efforts.
CCHF, a tick-borne viral disease often transmitted through contact with infected animals or their blood, remains highly lethal if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
