Iraq records 145 hemorrhagic fever cases and nine deaths in 2026 so far

BAGHDAD — Iraq has recorded 145 laboratory-confirmed hemorrhagic fever cases and nine deaths since the start of 2026, the Health Ministry said Monday, with 40 new infections and one death logged in the 23rd epidemiological week.

Dhi Qar reported the highest weekly caseload at 21 infections, followed by Muthanna with six, Basra with three including one death, Maysan and Wasit with two each, and one case each in Baghdad Rusafa, Diyala, Babil, Nineveh and Salah al-Din.

Dhi Qar also leads the cumulative count with 74 infections and six deaths. Muthanna follows with 18 cases, Maysan with nine, Diyala with eight cases and one death, Babil with seven cases and one death, Wasit with seven, Basra with six cases and one death, Baghdad Rusafa with three, Nineveh with three, Karbala with two, Baghdad Karkh with two, Salah al-Din with two, and one case each in Diwaniyah, Kirkuk, Anbar and Najaf.

Ministry spokesperson Saif al-Badr said surveillance teams are monitoring the situation across all governorates in coordination with veterinary and regulatory authorities, and that early detection has proven effective in reducing fatalities.

He urged citizens to buy meat only from licensed slaughterhouses, avoid random slaughtering inside residential areas, wear gloves when handling animals or animal waste, control ticks, wash hands regularly and store meat at freezing temperatures before cooking it thoroughly. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, body pain and fatigue, with some cases later developing bleeding under the skin or from body openings. Al-Badr stressed that anyone with direct animal contact, including butchers, breeders and traders, should seek immediate medical attention when symptoms appear.

Hemorrhagic fever is a recurring seasonal concern in Iraq, peaking during warmer months when livestock contact increases. Authorities typically intensify surveillance ahead of Eid al-Adha and through summer, when animal trading and slaughtering become more frequent. By late September 2025, Iraq’s cumulative toll for that year had reached 296 confirmed cases and 42 deaths.