What is the nose-bleed fever that has Iraq in its grip?

Iraq has reported an outbreak of a fever that causes people to bleed to death.

The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever or CCHF is caused by blood-sucking ticks and is transmitted from animals to humans.

The virus is reportedly as deadly as Covid-19 and is currently witnessing a surge in Iraq. No vaccine to prevent its spread is available yet.

Iraq has reported 111 CCHF cases and 19 resulting deaths this year, according to WHO.

The onset of the virus is reportedly swift and causes severe internal and external bleeding, especially from the nose, hence earning the name 'nose-bleed fever'. It also causes intense fever and vomiting.

The number of cases recorded this year in Iraq exceeds reported cases in the last 43 years when the virus was first recorded in the country in 1979.

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As per WHO, the disease is endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Balkans and the fatality rate is between 10 and 40 per cent.

Reports suggest the possible reason for the spread could be the absence of livestock spraying campaigns during Covid in 2020 and 2021.