Iraq’s Duhok records first 2026 CCHF case

Shafaq News- Duhok

Health authorities in Duhok have confirmed the province’s first case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) this year after laboratory tests verified the infection of a 47-year-old man from Sinjar.

Bakhtiar Ahmed, director of preventive health at Duhok Health Directorate, reported that the patient, currently treated at Azadi Hospital, remains in stable condition.

Following the diagnosis, health authorities notified the Veterinary Directorate to begin precautionary measures aimed at limiting any potential spread of the virus. No infections or symptoms have been detected among the patient’s relatives or close contacts so far.

Iraq has recorded 54 CCHF cases and seven deaths so far in 2026, according to a Shafaq News tracker. The country registered 247 infections and 38 fatalities nationwide in 2025.

CCHF is a viral disease transmitted through tick bites or contact with infected animal blood, particularly during slaughter and meat handling without protective equipment. Livestock breeders, butchers, and slaughterhouse workers are among those most at risk of infection.

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