Kurdistan Region reports first Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases of the year

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that two people in the Kurdistan Region have tested positive for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, marking the first confirmed cases of the year. The patients, a 71-year-old father and his 29-year-old son from the same family, sought treatment at a hospital in Erbil. According to the ministry, the infections were traced to exposure to an infected animal and slaughtering waste during home-based animal slaughter carried out over the past two weeks. Both patients are receiving treatment under medical supervision in hospital, with one described as relatively stable and the other in critical condition. Health authorities urged residents to report any suspected symptoms in their animals to veterinary teams and called on those working in animal husbandry to seek hospital care without delay if they develop any health issues. The ministry noted that of the numerous suspected cases referred to hospitals since the start of the year, only the two family members have been confirmed. The ministry also said two additional cases involving patients who came to Kurdistan Region hospitals from outside the region for treatment have been recorded. No further details were immediately available.