The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Monday evening that national medical facilities registered 226 suffocation and respiratory distress cases across several provinces following a severe dust storm that swept through the country.

According to an official ministry statement, Health Minister Abdul Hussein Al-Musawi actively monitored the emergency response protocols across Baghdad and the impacted governorates. Al-Musawi directed all health directorates to maintain a state of maximum alert and ensure the continuous mobilization of medical institutions to provide immediate therapeutic services to affected citizens.

The directive emphasized the critical need to prepare emergency wards, optimize ambulance readiness, and secure ample supplies of medical oxygen, specialized respiratory medications, and necessary clinical equipment. Furthermore, medical, nursing, and technical staff have been placed on high-readiness shifts across all public hospitals and primary health centers to handle the influx of patients suffering from severe asthma and breathing difficulties.

Data compiled by the Ministry’s Directorate of Operations and Emergency Medical Services confirmed the initial toll of 226 suffocation cases, noting that a highly detailed breakdown of admissions per province will be published later.