• A total of 162 cases of haemorrhagic fever have been recorded since this year.
• The disease, also known as Congo fever, causes severe bleeding.
• People typically contract it through contact with the blood of infected animals.

Iraq’s death toll from tick-borne diseases According to the most recent figures released Saturday by authorities battling an outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, the number of cases has risen to 27 this year.

The latest figure is a significant increase from last month’s total of 12 deaths among the 55 cases reported since the beginning of the year.

The disease, also known as Congo fever, causes severe bleeding. According to the World Health Organization, people typically contract it through contact with the blood of infected animals.

“Since the start of the year, 162 cases of haemorrhagic fever have been recorded, including 27 deaths,” health ministry spokesman Seif al-Badr said Saturday.

He said a first death had been recorded in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, adding that half of the total recorded cases had recovered.

Read more: Congo fever deaths in Iraq

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 spokesman added that the ministry is working to detect cases as early as possible.

The southern province of Dhi Qar, known for breeding cattle and other livestock, is the site of the highest number of cases, with 61 having fallen ill so far.

Authorities have launched disinfection campaigns and are cracking down on abattoirs that fail to adhere to hygiene protocols. Several provinces have also prohibited the movement of livestock across their borders.

According to the health ministry, livestock farmers and slaughterhouse workers are the most affected by the disease.

Read more: Northern Iraq registers Congo fever death