Kirkuk health teams race to contain CCHF after 3 deaths

Shafaq News/ Three deaths and five confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have been recorded in Kirkuk province, an Iraqi official announced on Friday.

Arjan Mohammed Rashid, Director General of Kirkuk’s Health Department, told Shafaq News the situation remains "under control," with specialized medical teams monitoring confirmed cases and tracking potential new infections.

The Department had launched campaigns to shut down unauthorized livestock sites linked to the spread of the disease in coordination with other local authorities, he revealed. Rashid urged citizens to adhere to preventive measures, avoid unregulated slaughtering, and handle livestock cautiously, stressing the need for full public cooperation to curb further transmission.

Earlier, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk launched a major national campaign to protect cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats, to help fight the disease.