Shafaq News- Baghdad

Precautionary measures to curb the spread of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) remain in place ahead of Eid Al-Adha, the director general of Iraq’s Veterinary Department stated on Saturday.

Mohammed Aziz Al-Miyahi said that veterinary hospitals across all provinces have begun coordinating with governors’ offices to activate inspection and monitoring committees aimed at curbing random slaughtering ahead of the holiday. Designated slaughter sites, he clarified, will be sprayed in advance with tick-control pesticides, while livestock will undergo spraying and dipping procedures before entering the areas to prevent infestation by ticks, the primary carrier of the disease.

The directorate also restricted the movement of livestock from infected areas unless accompanied by veterinary health certificates confirming they are free of ticks. Authorities have additionally intensified public awareness campaigns and distributed guidance leaflets to livestock breeders and residents, according to Al-Miyahi.

Across Iraq, authorities have recorded 16 other CCHF cases since the start of 2026, without recording any deaths. In 2025, the country registered 247 infections and 38 deaths linked to the disease, Shafaq News tracker showed.

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