Dhi Qar records six hemorrhagic fever deaths as council calls for slaughterhouse closure

DHI QAR — Dhi Qar Provincial Council announced Sunday that the governorate has recorded 41 hemorrhagic fever cases and six deaths, calling for the immediate closure of the governorate’s main slaughterhouse and urging urgent government measures ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Council spokesperson Ahmed Salim said an investigative team that arrived two days ago concluded that “this slaughterhouse is not suitable for slaughter operations inside Dhi Qar.” He called on the executive government to supply veterinary centers and hospitals across the governorate with necessary equipment, and said committees involving provincial authorities and security forces had been formed to prevent infected livestock from moving between Dhi Qar and other governorates or between districts within the governorate.

Salim urged Dhi Qar’s health authorities to monitor slaughter operations during Eid al-Adha, expected to begin Wednesday, and advised those handling meat to wear gloves.

Hemorrhagic fever is transmitted through tick bites or contact with infected animals, meat, skin and bodily fluids, with livestock breeders, traders, transporters and butchers among the most vulnerable groups. Delays in seeking treatment “can lead to dangerous hemorrhagic complications that may end in death,” according to the Health Ministry, while early diagnosis significantly improves recovery chances.

Dhi Qar has consistently recorded the highest number of hemorrhagic fever cases in Iraq. The Health Ministry recorded 231 infections and 30 deaths nationwide as of July 2025. In September 2025, the Agriculture Ministry launched a nationwide campaign to spray cattle and buffalo and dip sheep and goats free of charge as part of containment efforts.