Iraq contains FMD outbreak; 6 provinces unaffected

Shafaq News/ Iraq has successfully contained the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Baghdad and surrounding areas, with six provinces—including Karbala and Najaf—reporting no infections, the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee announced on Sunday.

Committee member Ibtisam Al-Hilali told Shafaq News that the Veterinary Directorate, alongside other departments in the Ministry of Agriculture, managed to control the FMD outbreak among buffalo in Baghdad and neighboring provinces, preventing further spread, noting that the virus had already claimed the lives of hundreds of buffalo across Iraq.

Subsequent tests by the Veterinary Directorate confirmed that the virus does not transmit from animals to humans and that food products, including red meat and dairy, remain safe for consumption.

The outbreak has sparked widespread debate. Some speculate it is part of a conspiracy against the government, while others accuse authorities of negligence.