Iraq: Nineveh province declares FMD outbreak under control

Veterinary authorities in Iraq’s Nineveh province said they have successfully contained a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak among cattle and buffalo near Mosul. According to Omar Al-Hayali, director of the Nineveh Veterinary Hospital, there are still “a few small hotspots” of the disease in the province, but they are “under close monitoring and treatment.” He added that no new cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) have been detected in the area since the beginning of the year. However, Al-Hayali urged citizens to follow public health protocols, slaughtering animals in licensed abattoirs under veterinary supervision to prevent disease transmission.
Meanwhile, Nineveh’s Health and Agriculture Committee issued recommendations to prevent further disease outbreaks in the province. They include temporarily banning livestock imports into the area until a clear veterinary assessment is issued, enforcing animal health laws, and requesting additional vaccines, medications, and logistical support from the Ministry of Agriculture.