Iraq: The number of VHFs cases increased to 96

INA – BAGHDAD 
 
Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Saturday, that the number of cases of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in the country has risen to 96.
 
"The latest statistics from the National Center for Communicable Diseases Control of the Public Health Department, are at least 96 new confirmed cases of VHFs during the year of 2022, " said the ministry's spokesman, Saif Al-Badr in a statement to Al-Iraqiya News TV, followed by the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
 
Al-Badr added, "The total cases, including at least 18 deaths, and more than half of it has recovered," stressing that "the increase in cases is clear this year compared to previous years."
 
"VHFs is not new, but rather has continued since the seventies of the last century, that is, half a century ago, but every few years there is an increase in the number of injuries and deaths," he noted, saying that "in the past year also there was a relative increase, but in the current year it was more clear, according to Statistics recorded during one month," 

He stressed, "The efforts made to confront random slaughter and grazing are still below the required level and more seriousness is required. The Ministry of Health is concerned with early detection of infections through the central health laboratory, while the responsibility to confront the disease is a joint and solidarity responsibility."
 
"The common diseases between humans and animals in terms of the issue of combating the infected animal or the insect that transmits hemorrhagic fever represented by the tick as the concerned authority in the first place is the Ministry of Agriculture," he included.

He explained, "the need to prevent indiscriminate slaughter and illegal transportation of animals, and to hold violating butchers accountable, not only to confront hemorrhagic fever, but also to confront the rest of the common diseases."