26-06-2025
Child in Diyala and woman in Basra die of CCHF
Shafaq News – Diyala/ Basra
Iraqi health authorities confirmed two new deaths from Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) on Thursday, including a seven-year-old child in Diyala province and a woman in Basra's Zubair district.
The director of Diyala's veterinary hospital, Mohammed al-Tamimi, told Shafaq News that the child died last week after direct contact with livestock. 'This marks the second fatality linked to the disease in Diyala.'
Seven suspected cases were tested and found to be negative, he said, pointing out that the epidemiological situation is currently under control across the province.
'Veterinary and health teams are conducting broad campaigns to monitor animals and educate residents about safe meat handling and disease prevention,' al-Tamimi revealed.
Meanwhile, officials in Basra province reported seven confirmed cases of hemorrhagic fever in Zubair, Iraq's southernmost district. All patients have been hospitalized and placed under observation, a medical source told Shafaq News.
Ali al-Abbadi, head of the Health Committee in Basra's provincial council, warned that infections are reappearing intermittently and pose a growing health risk. 'We have repeatedly urged municipal authorities to act against unregulated livestock grazing and take firm measures against practices that contribute to the spread of hemorrhagic fever,' he said.
Al-Abbadi revealed that a wide-ranging campaign is set to begin during the Islamic month of Muharram, when religious gatherings and food distributions increase.
According to Shafaq News tracker, since the beginning of 2025, Iraq recorded 126 cases and 21 deaths, including eight cases and one death in Basra, along with five cases and one death in Diyala.
