Congo fever cases increase to 96, death toll reaches 18
veterinary worker talking with a livestock breeder in Iraq.The National image.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Saturday an increase in hemorrhagic fever cases and described the situation as serious, according to Al-Arabiya news.
“There is a serious increase in the cases of hemorrhagic fever in Iraq as the number of cases reached 96,” spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Saif al-Badr, said in a statement.
“Deaths caused by the disease reached 18 cases until now in all governorates of the country. It is possible that numbers will increase because there are other suspected cases,” Badr explained in his statement.
This comes after all Iraqi governorates started to take preventive and strict measures to confront hemorrhagic fever after health authorities announced the first death case of the viral disease in November 2021.
According to Rudaw news, two new cases of hemorrhagic fever were recorded on Saturday in Dhi Qar governorate, bringing the number of people infected with the disease since it emerged to 42.
Dhi Qar governorate is witnessing significant spread of the hemorrhagic fever in Iraq, where local authorities decided to follow strict measures to avoid new infections.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the mortality rate of the viral disease is 40 percent.
The virus is transmitted to humans from livestock animals, and between humans by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of the infected person.
People most vulnerable to the disease are livestock breeders and people working in butchery, according to the Iraqi Ministry of health.
With symptoms including pains in muscles and joints, high temperatures and bleeding, it raises international concern as there is no vaccine for this disease.