Shafaq News- Dhi Qar

At least 45 Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases were recorded in Iraq’s Dhi Qar province since the beginning of 2026, including seven deaths, a source told Shafaq News on Sunday, linking the recent rise in infections to unsanitary slaughter practices.

“Unregulated slaughterhouses operating in Dhi Qar and Baghdad are functioning outside official health oversight,’’ he explained, noting that these facilities are not subject to routine inspections, despite documented health violations.

The allegations could not be independently verified.

During a press briefing, Ahmed al-Ibrahimi, spokesperson for the Dhi Qar Provincial Council, reported that the province now records the highest number of CCHF infections nationwide, citing that inspections conducted over two days tied the outbreak to a slaughterhouse within the al-Nasiriyah district.

Earlier today, Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture introduced a series of preventive measures aimed at containing the spread of CCHF ahead of Eid al-Adha, when livestock slaughter typically increases. Health authorities reported that Iraq registered 247 cases in 2025, including 38 deaths.

Read more: Blood, ticks, and broken systems: The resurgence of CCHF in Iraq