Hemorrhagic Fever Continues to Spread In Iraq

By Mac Slavo on June 13th, 2022

An outbreak of the Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is continuing to spread in Iraq. The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that the cases of hemorrhagic fever have reached 162 cases, including 27 deaths, since the beginning of the year.

CCHF is a tick-borne viral disease that was transmitted to humans via infected livestock. The majority of infections were recorded in Dhi Qar governorate (61 cases), located in the south of the country, which is a poor rural area where cows, sheep, goats, and buffaloes are raised, all of which are intermediate vectors of this disease.

The ruling class continues to claim they are struggling to control the outbreak of this disease, which is much more severe and deadly than the common cold or COVID-19. This disease causes severe bleeding and is endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Balkans, the disease has a fatality rate between 10 and 40 percent, the WHO says.

The southern province of Dhi Qar where the bulk of the cases are popping up is known for breeding cattle and other livestock. Livestock farmers and slaughterhouse workers are the most affected by the disease, the health ministry said. Because of that, butchers and other businesses in the meat industry are being shut down if they fail to adhere to the ruling class’s disinfection campaign.

Rulers have put in place disinfection campaigns and are cracking down on abattoirs that do not follow hygiene protocols. Several provinces have also banned livestock movement across their borders. -Alarabyia

The real question is what good are disinfection campaigns if transmission requires bodily fluid contact with an infected animal? How can you pre-disinfect the blood of livestock before slaughtering it? Perhaps better barriers should be used, such as rubber gloves, and shields for the face that will prevent fluids from the animal from getting into the eyes, nose, or mouth.

Watch this one closely. If this spreads outside of the Middle East, a hemorrhagic fever could devastate populations in the West, especially considering many have a destructed immune system thanks to the COVID-19 injections.

Do we all remember when monkeypox was endemic as well?

This article originally appeared on SHFTplan