Health Ministry announces cholera, hemorrhagic fever developments

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Thursday the developments of hemorrhagic fever and cholera in the country since the beginning of 2022.

Statistics issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Health revealed that the number of patients infected with cholera reached 894, and the governorate most affected with the disease is Kirkuk where the number of cases reached 487, according to Alsumaria news.

299 cases infected with hemorrhagic fever in addition to 55 deaths were recorded in Dhi Qar governorate making it the most affected governorate with hemorrhagic fever.

The Iraqi Ministry of Health had set conditions to control cholera infections in Kirkuk governorate and hemorrhagic fever in Dhi Qar governorate, according to a statement of the director of public health, Riyadh Al-Halfi, cited by Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The Iraqi official mentioned that most of the cases infected with cholera are still in Kirkuk governorate, then the capital, Baghdad, and the rest of the governorates.

Halfi explained that controlling the two diseases cannot be done through the Ministry of Health alone as the greatest responsibility falls on other ministries.

Halfi explained that cholera cannot be controlled unless the drinking water system for citizens is improved, and regarding hemorrhagic fever, he added that if the Ministry of Agriculture and veterinary hospitals did not control ticks, the disease could not be controlled.