The Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday that 14 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been recorded across the country since the start of 2025, including two fatalities in Kirkuk, raising fresh concerns over the spread of this highly infectious viral disease.

Dr. Saif al-Badr, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, stated that the cases are geographically distributed across several provinces: six in Dhi Qar, four in Kirkuk, and one case each in Baghdad, Muthanna, Nineveh, and Basra. "Two deaths have been confirmed in Kirkuk, one of them a health worker," al-Badr told reporters, highlighting the occupational risk facing frontline personnel and livestock handlers.

According to al-Badr, the virus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected animals—especially cattle and sheep—or their meat, as well as tick bites. He stressed that early diagnosis is critical, noting that the disease can be managed and treated if caught in time. Most of those infected work in close proximity to livestock.