Shafaq News- Duhok
Health authorities in Duhok have confirmed the province’s first case ofCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) this year after laboratory testsverified the infection of a 47-year-old man from Sinjar.
Bakhtiar Ahmed, director of preventive health at Duhok HealthDirectorate, reported that the patient, currently treated at Azadi Hospital,remains in stable condition.
Following the diagnosis, health authorities notified the VeterinaryDirectorate to begin precautionary measures aimed at limiting any potentialspread of the virus. No infections or symptoms have been detected among thepatient’s relatives or close contacts so far.
Iraq has recorded 54 CCHF cases and seven deaths so far in 2026,according to a Shafaq News tracker. The country registered 247 infections and38 fatalities nationwide in 2025.
CCHF is a viral disease transmitted through tick bites or contact withinfected animal blood, particularly during slaughter and meat handling withoutprotective equipment. Livestock breeders, butchers, and slaughterhouse workersare among those most at risk of infection.
: Blood, ticks, and broken systems: The resurgence of CCHF in Iraq
