Two new Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases reported in Nineveh

MOSUL, Iraq — Nineveh's health directorate has confirmed two new cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in the province, bringing the total reported in recent weeks to six, with two patients already discharged after recovery. A 25-year-old man from the Tal Afar district in western Mosul was admitted to Hadba Specialist Hospital on June 4 as a suspected case, according to a medical source at the directorate. His blood sample was sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory in Baghdad, which returned a positive result confirming CCHF, and the patient was transferred to Shifa Specialist Hospital for treatment. A second case was identified in a 31-year-old man from the Akitat area on Mosul's right bank, who was admitted to hospital on June 9. His tests also returned positive, and he has been referred to Shifa Specialist Hospital, the same source said. The directorate had previously announced two other cases this month: a 10-year-old child from the Bashika subdistrict on June 8, and a 57-year-old man from Sharqat in Salahaddin province, who died on June 9 while receiving treatment in Mosul hospitals. Two earlier cases from the Kayyara district in southern Nineveh have since been discharged following successful treatment.