CCHF ALERT: Kurdistan tightens safety amid Iraq outbreak

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Region’s Health Ministry on Friday started implementing high-level preventive measures to combat the threat of viral Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), following a surge in confirmed cases across Iraq.

In a statement, the Ministry urged the slaughter of animals to take place in authorized locations only, calling the public to avoid home-based butchering, which poses a significant risk for transmission.

The Ministry also mandated that butchers wear full personal protective equipment, especially gloves and protective clothing. "Severe penalties will be imposed on violators," the statement cautioned.

It further instructed that all slaughter areas and tools be disinfected with a 5% chlorine solution and that meat should only be purchased from trusted sources. "Cook all meat thoroughly and ensure proper hygiene during handling," the Ministry added.

Citizens were also urged to wear light-colored, long-sleeved clothing in insect-prone areas and to use insect-repellent creams and sprays when necessary.

The Ministry stressed the need for coordinated action between health, veterinary, and agricultural departments to control tick populations — known carriers of the disease, calling for intensified public awareness campaigns through media, targeted spraying in animal breeding areas, and strict use of protective equipment by health workers treating suspected or confirmed cases.

The announcement came a day after Iraq’s federal Health Ministry reported 27 confirmed hemorrhagic fever infections nationwide, including four deaths.