Latest news with #Saifal-Badr
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Iraq reports 19 Congo fever deaths already this year
Baghdad: Iraq said Thursday it has recorded 19 deaths from Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever already this year and urged farmers and abattoir workers to step up precautions when handling livestock. A total of 123 cases have been recorded nationwide, health ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said in a statement, adding that 36 of them were reported in the poor southern province of Dhi Qar, which is heavily dependent on livestock farming. Congo fever is a viral disease which is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during or immediately after slaughter, according to the World Health Organization. It has a fatality rate of between 10 and 40 percent, and most cases have been reported in the livestock industry. A previous surge in infections in Iraq in 2022 saw at least 27 deaths, compared with just six cases for the two decades from 1989 to 2009. The WHO attributed that flare-up to a rise in the tick population resulting from the failure to carry out pesticide spraying campaigns in 2020 and 2021.
Iraqi News
12-06-2025
- Health
- Iraqi News
Iraq reveals 19 Congo fever deaths in 2025
Baghdad – Iraq said Thursday it has recorded 19 deaths from Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever already this year and urged farmers and abattoir workers to step up precautions when handling livestock. A total of 123 cases have been recorded nationwide, health ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said in a statement, adding that 36 of them were reported in the poor southern province of Dhi Qar, which is heavily dependent on livestock farming. Congo fever is a viral disease which is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during or immediately after slaughter, according to the World Health Organization. It has a fatality rate of between 10 and 40 percent, and most cases have been reported in the livestock industry. A previous surge in infections in Iraq in 2022 saw at least 27 deaths, compared with just six cases for the two decades from 1989 to 2009. The WHO attributed that flare-up to a rise in the tick population resulting from the failure to carry out pesticide spraying campaigns in 2020 and 2021.
Shafaq News
07-06-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
CCHF on the rise: Iraq confirms 109 infections ahead of Eid al-Adha
Shafaq News/ Iraq has confirmed 109 cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) so far this year, the Health Ministry reported on Saturday. The ministry urged citizens to adhere to safety measures during Eid al-Adha, citing heightened risk from unregulated livestock slaughter and direct animal contact. 'Most cases are linked to unauthorized butchering and informal animal handling,' ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr stated. Deputy Health Minister Hani al-Okaili called on the public to avoid street-side butchering. 'We advise citizens to purchase meat from licensed slaughterhouses and use gloves and designated tools when handling raw meat,' he told Shafaq News. Dhi Qar remains the hardest-hit province with 31 cases and one death, followed by eastern Baghdad (11 cases, five deaths), Wasit (12 cases, one death), Muthanna (eight cases, two deaths), and Maysan (eight cases, no deaths), with more cases in 13 other provinces.
The Star
05-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
16 die of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Iraq
BAGHDAD, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry said Thursday that 16 people have died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) across the country since the beginning of this year. A total of 107 cases of CCHF have been recorded this year, and 16 of them died, the ministry's spokesman, Saif al-Badr, said in a statement. The spokesman noted that the southern province of Dhi Qar recorded the highest number of infections, with 31 cases and one death, followed by Baghdad with 16 cases and five deaths. Al-Badr recommended that citizens purchase meat from health-approved slaughterhouses, store meat at very low freezing temperatures, and ensure that it is cooked at high temperatures to eliminate pathogens as the festival of Eid al-Adha approaches. Since the late 1970s, CCHF has been the most common viral hemorrhagic fever in Iraq. It is transmitted to humans mainly through tick bites or contact with blood and tissues of infected animals, especially livestock. CCHF, characterized by fever, muscle aches, headache, and bleeding, has a high fatality rate ranging from 10 percent to 40 percent. Iraq has experienced recurring outbreaks of CCHF since then. The largest outbreak occurred in 2023 with over 587 confirmed cases and 83 deaths, predominantly affecting southern provinces.
Shafaq News
19-04-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
CCHF 2025: Iraq records 14 cases with 2 deaths
Shafaq News/ Fourteen cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and two related deaths have been recorded since the start of 2025, Iraq's Ministry of Health announced on Saturday. Ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr, in an audio briefing to the media, said infections have been confirmed in six provinces: Dhi Qar (6), Kirkuk (4), and one each in Nineveh, Muthanna, Basra, and Baghdad's Al-Rusafa district. He noted that the latest death occurred earlier today in Kirkuk, involving a Health Ministry employee—the second such case in the province, corroborating Shafaq News' earlier reporting. The announcement comes amid warnings from medical authorities about increased transmission risks as temperatures rise. CCHF, transmitted by tick bites or contact with infected animal blood, is highly contagious and can be fatal in more than 40% of cases, particularly if not treated promptly.
