Reports: Iraqi fish dying from highly contagious disease
Koi Herpesvirus is deadly for carp, which are a staple of Iraqi cuisine.
Iraqi fish are dying from a highly contagious viral disease, according to local media.
Thousands of tons of fish have died due to koi herpesvirus in Iraq’s central Babil province. The disease began afflicting the fish in 2018, several Iraqi news outlets reported Wednesday. Images circulating in Iraqi media show large schools of dead fish floating on the water’s surface.
The Iraqi News Agency reported Friday that the Ministry of Environment sent teams to Babil to investigate.
Koi Herpesvirus is highly contagious among carp. It has been detected in the United States, Europe and Asia in addition to the Middle East, according to the University of California, Davis. The mortality rate is 80-100%, and survivors of the disease can still carry it, according to the University of Florida.
