Iraq enforces Eid food safety amid soaring heat
The measures come as Eid al-Adha typically sees a rise in livestock slaughter, increasing the risk of food contamination, compounded by a severe heatwave in the country, with temperatures reaching up to 49°C in several regions, in addition to efforts to contain Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), a tick-borne virus associated with informal butchering and direct animal contact.
In al-Sulaymaniyah, the provincial slaughterhouse received 735 animals over the first three days of the Eid holiday. Shalaw Aref, operations manager, confirmed that veterinary teams inspected all meat and disposed of nearly half a ton deemed unfit for consumption using approved sanitary protocols.
'We boosted technical and veterinary staff to ensure compliance with both health regulations and religious guidelines,' Aref told Shafaq News.
Meanwhile, in Diyala, the Health Directorate closed 10 restaurants following surprise inspections. Fares al-Azzawi, the directorate's spokesperson, stated that teams documented severe hygiene breaches, including "unclean kitchens and improper food handling."
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