Kurdistan intensifies measures to contain CCHF spread

Shafaq News/ The spread of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) remains “under control” across the Kurdistan Region in 2025, the Ministry of Health confirmed on Monday.

Ministry spokesperson Sarkar Surchi told Shafaq News Agency that one of the two confirmed CCHF cases resulted in death, while the second, hospitalized in Koysinjaq, is stable and under close observation, emphasizing that the health authorities are working in coordination with the Ministries of Interior and Agriculture to prevent further transmission.

“We’ve stepped up surveillance and disinfection in high-risk zones,” he explained. “All incoming livestock are quarantined, screened, and treated with pesticides before being allowed entry into the Region.”

Surchi also urged the public to avoid unauthorized slaughter practices, warning that unregulated animal handling increases the risk of infection.

Last month, Kurdistan elevated its public health alert after cases of CCHF were confirmed elsewhere in Iraq. The Ministry of Health categorized the virus as highly contagious and potentially fatal, prompting enhanced protocols in livestock markets and agricultural zones.

According to Shafaq News tracker, since the beginning of 2025, Iraq recorded 43 cases, including eight deaths.