BAGHDAD — Violent protests have erupted across much of Iraq as demonstrators poured into the streets, embittered about poor public services, corruption and unemployment.

By early Thursday, 14 people were confirmed dead by the Health Ministry and by hospitals: five in Baghdad and nine in Nasiriya, in southern Iraq. Hundreds of others were wounded, primarily by rubber bullets and tear gas, and in some cases by live ammunition.

The ministry said on Wednesday that 100 to 200 demonstrators were being treated for injuries at Baghdad hospitals. Counterterrorism police officers were deployed near the city’s airport to prevent protesters from storming it.

The situation remained tense overnight in Baghdad and in several southern provinces, as the government took strict measures to bring mass demonstrations under control: A curfew was imposed in the affected areas and the internet was shut down to make it more difficult for protesters to organize on social media.