Iraq reports 9 deaths from hemorrhagic fever in 2026; Agriculture Ministry steps in

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Health Ministry said nine people have died from hemorrhagic fever and 145 cases have been recorded since the start of 2026, with deaths and infections clustered mainly in the southern province of Dhi Qar. Ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said six of the fatalities were logged in Dhi Qar, with one each in Diyala, Babil and Basra. The remaining 136 cases were spread across other provinces, and all patients were being monitored under established medical protocols, he told reporters. In the first quarter of 2026, only one death and 40 cases were reported before the total later rose to 145. The Health Ministry has expanded early-detection and treatment measures, while the Agriculture Ministry has deployed veterinary teams and intensified pest-control operations targeting the ticks that transmit the disease. Ministry spokesman Hammam al-Hatab said 16 specialized vehicles have been assigned to the response, the required pesticides have been procured, and regular spraying is being carried out in livestock barns in affected areas. Mitigation steps include spraying cattle, dipping sheep and goats in pesticide solutions, and disinfecting infected zones, with awareness campaigns also directed at butchers, slaughterhouses and livestock breeders. Al-Hatab said the outbreak is under control nationwide and that teams are tracking new cases and suspected infections in real time.