CCHF: Kirkuk hits by two new cases
Shafaq News/ Two new cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have been confirmed in Iraq’s Kirkuk province, a day after the region recorded its first virus-related death this year.
A source within the Kirkuk Health Directorate told Shafaq News that one of the new cases involves a government employee, while the other is a resident from the province’s southern districts. Both individuals are currently hospitalized in a specialized treatment center and remain under close medical supervision.
“Authorities have launched contact tracing operations and public awareness campaigns in the affected areas to prevent further spread.”
On Thursday, Kirkuk registered its first fatality from the virus in 2025. The deceased patient initially suffered from a high fever, severe headache, and muscle pain, which progressed to internal and external bleeding.
CCHF is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted mainly through tick bites or contact with the blood of infected animals. It carries a fatality rate that can exceed 40% in severe cases, especially when diagnosis or treatment is delayed.
Health authorities have urged residents to avoid unregulated animal slaughter and to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as fever or unexplained bleeding occur.
