KRG health ministry denies hemorrhagic fever case in city of Erbil

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health has denied reports of a suspected hemorrhagic fever case in Erbil city, stating that no such infection has been identified to date.

“So far, the only confirmed case in the Kurdistan Region was in Koya,” ministry spokesperson Dr. Sarkar Surchi told 964media. “There are no other registered or suspected infections at this time.” Koya is a district in Erbil governorate.

Hemorrhagic fever is a viral illness transmitted through contact with infected animals or meat, or via tick bites. The disease has become a seasonal public health concern in Iraq, particularly in rural and agricultural areas where human-animal interaction is common.

Surchi said the ministry has stepped up preventative measures and entered what he described as the “disease management” phase. Ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and a dedicated task force is in place to monitor and contain new cases.

He added that health guidelines would be more strictly enforced during the upcoming Eid Al-Adha holiday, when animal slaughter increases risk of exposure. The ministry has previously urged the public to use only approved slaughterhouses and wear protective gear to avoid contact with blood and tissue during animal processing.

On May 2, the Ministry confirmed the first case of hemorrhagic fever in the Kurdistan Region—a butcher from Koya who remains under treatment in Erbil.

As of April 24, Iraq’s Ministry of Health reported 26 confirmed cases of hemorrhagic fever nationwide since the start of the year, including several deaths.