NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the number of confirmed Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases has increased to 225, according to a Iraqi News Agency (INA) report. Cases have been reported from most governorates.

This is up from 208 cases reported last week.

Health officials recorded one additional death since our last report, bringing the total fatalities to 36.

Dhi Qar governorate has accounted for 40 percent of the cases countrywide (90).

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The CCHF virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, with a case fatality rate of 10–40%.

Image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay

Animals become infected by the bite of infected ticks and the virus remains in their bloodstream for about one week after infection, allowing the tick-animal-tick cycle to continue when another tick bites. Although a number of tick genera are capable of becoming infected with CCHF virus, ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the principal vector.

The CCHF virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animal blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter. The majority of cases have occurred in people involved in the livestock industry, such as agricultural workers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinarians. Human-to-human transmission is possible.