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Friday, May 21, 2010

Kenya : Govt issues RVF outbreak alert

Thanks to Chen Qi for this article, via KBC :

" The government is on high alert over a possible outbreak of Rift Valley fever - RVF epidemic in North Eastern, upper Eastern and Rift Valley provinces.

Livestock Minister Dr Mohamed Kuti says the second round of the vaccination campaign is due to begin in the affected regions to prevent an outbreak of the disease.

Kuti said on Thursday that his ministry is awaiting response from Treasury for additional funding to enable it embark on round two of the vaccination exercise.

The Minister said already animals in the pastoralist regions are infected but no deaths have been reported as they had been vaccinated.

"There is high activity of the disease in the animals in pastoralist areas, but we are on high alert and intend to embark on the second round of the vaccination exercise so that we do not reach epidemic levels ," said Kuti who addressed a meeting at Kilimo house.

The Minister said already the government undertook a vaccination exercise for one million heads of cattle to curb any outbreak this rainy season."

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