Iraq reports rise in hemorrhagic fever cases, nine deaths so far in 2026

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Health Ministry said Monday that 145 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded nationwide since the start of 2026, with nine deaths attributed to the virus. Ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr said the first case was detected on May 7 in Kirkuk and that infections have since spread to several other cities. Ministry data show that Dhi Qar, in southern Iraq, has been the hardest-hit governorate, with 74 cases and six deaths logged there. Al-Muthanna has recorded 18 cases but no fatalities, according to the figures. Official reports indicate that the virus killed 37 people and infected 247 others in Iraq during 2025. The World Health Organization has said Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is transmitted to humans through tick bites or contact with the blood and tissues of infected animals, and that the disease carries a fatality rate of around 40 percent. The agency added that human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids or organs of infected individuals.