Kurdistan Region records first death case from Congo fever

The Kurdistan Region recorded the first death case from the hemorrhagic Congo fever, Dr. Aso Hawezi, Kurdistan Region's Health Ministry spokesman announced Saturday.

According to the Health Ministry spokesman, the person who died was a 27-year-old man from Gorazi village of Khalifan sub-district of Soran region, Erbil Governorate.

The Ministry of Health also called on citizens to follow precautionary measures to avoid contracting the disease.

According to the Iraqi Ministry of Health, over 140 cases of hemorrhagic fever or Congo fever had been recorded throughout the country so far.

The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever, also known as Congo fever, is tick-borne and causes severe hemorrhaging. 

People are often infected after they come into contact with the blood of infected animals, often after slaughtering livestock. The symptoms of the disease in its first stage include high temperature, lethargy, and various pains in the body and abdomen in particular.

Congo fever has been endemic to Iraq since 1979, according to World Health Organization (WHO). It can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids.

The disease existed in Iraq with only 20 cases or less in a year, but this year, the country has recorded over 100 cases so far, prompting authorities to take measures to control the disease spread.

Kirkuk recorded the first case of hemorrhagic fever death on May 7.



PUKmedia