Iraq reports 90 haemorrhagic fever cases, 18 deaths

Baghdad: The Iraqi Ministry of Health said on Saturday that up to 90 cases of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) have been registered in Iraq, including 18 deaths.

"There has been a serious increase in the VHF cases in Iraq recently, and the number of registered cases could rise further if some other suspected cases are confirmed," the ministry's spokesman Sayf al-Badr said at a press conference.

The first VHF case was detected in Dhi Qar last month, and later more cases were discovered in several other provinces, he added.

The VHFs are a group of diseases caused by different viruses, including the Ebola virus, which affects multiple organ systems in the body and may cause fever and bleeding. The Iraqi health ministry has not revealed which virus has caused the recent cases.