Latest news with #Crimean-CongoHemorrhagicFever
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Second Congo virus death reported in Malir
Sindh has reported its second casualty from the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Known as Congo virus in 2025, after a fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi died on June 19. A confirmed case of Congo virus was reported in Malir district after 25-year-old fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi, identified as Muhammad Zubair was admitted to Jinnah Hospital on June 16 with severe symptoms, including high fever, muscle pain, abdominal pain, cough, diarrhea, and bleeding. Upon suspicion of Congo virus infection and due to limited facilities, he was referred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital & Research Centre (SIDH & RC), where he passed away on June 19. Following the death, the Sindh Health Department has mobilised an Active Search and Response Team to the affected locality. Health officials have gathered information from the family and identified all individuals who were in contact with the patient. As of now, no other person has been reported with the virus. However, residents and family members have been counseled on preventive measures and early symptom detection.
Shafaq News
11-06-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
CCHF: Iraq's Samarra district records 2025 1st case
Shafaq News/ Samarra district in central Iraq has confirmed its first case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) for 2025, a source from the Saladin Health Directorate reported on Wednesday. The source told Shafaq News that the patient, 41-year-old Othman Thaj Madloul, tested positive after a June 10 sample was verified by the Central Public Health Laboratory in Baghdad using RT-PCR. Health teams quickly enforced isolation protocols, launched contact tracing, and initiated awareness campaigns in high-risk areas.
Shafaq News
09-06-2025
- Health
- Shafaq News
Iraq enforces Eid food safety amid soaring heat
Shafaq News/ Authorities in al-Sulaymaniyah and Diyala provinces intensified food safety measures during Eid al-Adha, officials reported on Monday. 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."
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.
Shafaq News
04-06-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's butchers bear the brunt of CCHF Crisis
Shafaq News/ In 2025, Iraq has recorded at least 96 cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), including 13 deaths, according to the latest data from the Public Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health and Shafaq News tracker. Official statements emphasize that the outbreak remains under control. However, health officials familiar with the situation told Shafaq News—on condition of anonymity—that the true number of infections is likely much higher than reported, citing underreporting in rural areas and limited diagnostic capabilities. Nearly all confirmed infections are concentrated among high-risk occupational groups: livestock breeders, animal transporters, and especially butchers. Within this vulnerable segment, butchers face a compounded risk—not only from direct contact with potentially infected animals but from the deteriorating infrastructure that forces them to operate outside official and sanitary channels. 'We Are Forced Outside the System' Muhammad Ali, a butcher in Babil Province with more than three decades of experience, described the daily hazards of his profession. 'We try to follow the laws and health instructions,' he explained, 'but the reality is we're often forced to slaughter outside official abattoirs—not because we want to break the rules, but because there simply aren't enough slaughterhouses.' Ali points to a chronic lack of facilities, especially during high-demand seasons such as Eid Al-Adha, when families sacrifice an animal—typically a sheep, goat, or cow—and distribute the meat to family, relatives, and people in poverty. 'The few slaughterhouses that do exist are overwhelmed. We wait for hours. Work becomes unbearable, customers get angry, and the delay sometimes ruins the meat. Then we are blamed, even though the fault lies in the system's inability to serve us.' He warns that the legal risks butchers face for so-called 'unauthorized slaughter' ignore the economic and logistical pressures that push them into these situations. 'We're not criminals. We're surviving.' Ali calls for urgent interventions: more licensed slaughterhouses, mobile abattoirs for underserved areas, and even temporary legal alternatives supervised by health authorities. 'Without keep working in the shadows—and we'll keep getting sick.' A Nationwide Gap in Slaughter Infrastructure Dr. Thaer Sabri Hussein, Director of the Epidemiology Department at Iraq's Veterinary Authority, confirmed the infrastructure crisis. 'There are only 52 official slaughterhouses in Iraq, and most are in poor condition,' he told Shafaq News. 'We need at least 300 to meet current demand. The few modern facilities we do have are negligible.' The Ministry of Agriculture has submitted a formal request to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to approve the construction of modern abattoirs. As a temporary measure, the Ministry of Environment has been tasked with rehabilitating defunct facilities. However, officials acknowledge that these efforts fall short of addressing the scale of the problem. Cities most affected by unregulated slaughter include Baghdad, which houses more than 10 million people, and now records the highest number of infections (29,) followed by religious hubs like Karbala and Najaf, where massive pilgrimages frequently overwhelm municipal services. 'These areas are hotspots not only for illegal slaughter but also for potential disease transmission,' Hussein warned. Although Iraqi law restricts animal slaughter to official facilities under Article 105 of the 1983 Veterinary Code, enforcement is lax. Hussein admits, 'In reality, controlling unregulated slaughter is extremely difficult. That's why we're focusing on awareness campaigns to educate livestock handlers and the public about the importance of safe practices.' Fighting Disease with Incomplete Tools To curb the spread of CCHF, the Ministry of Agriculture conducts two national anti-tick spraying campaigns annually, targeting the blood-sucking parasite responsible for transmitting the virus. When an infection is confirmed in a specific area, it is classified as a 'disease hotspot,' triggering emergency spraying and a halt to animal movement until livestock are examined and treated. Yet these reactive measures are constrained by limited reach and chronic underfunding. Without systemic reforms—especially in slaughterhouse availability and enforcement mechanisms—such interventions remain insufficient.
