Following a surge in meningitis cases in Halabjah City and Sulaymaniyah governorate since mid-April 2023, an expert team from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health was deployed to the affected areas to perform a joint epidemiological investigation of the reported cases and develop a swift response plan to curb the transmission of the disease.

Preliminary laboratory results from 24 collected samples showed a mixture of bacterial (streptococcus pneumonia) and viral (enterovirus) meningitis, indicating two responsible pathogens. Further laboratory investigations are underway for more conclusive results.