Rift Valley fever strikes in Mauritania

An AFP report hosted by Yahoo :

" An outbreak of Rift Valley fever has struck the north Mauritanian town of Aoujeft, causing "loss of human life" and killing cattle, official sources said, while the press put the death toll at 17.
"Cases of Rift Valley fever have caused loss of human life and at the level of cattle," the official Mauritanian news agency AMI reported, without giving casualty figures.

According to the independent local press, the "epidemic" has claimed 17 lives and sick people have been sent to hospitals in Nouakchott.

"The ministers of health and the interior, visiting the region, have given strict instructions to the people of Adrar (where Aoujeft lies) to avoid consuming locally produced meat and milk," AMI added.

These bans on foodstuffs essential to the local population are expected to last until laboratory analyses and tests that have been under way since last Thursday on contaminated animals are complete, the agency said."

South Africa : Tribute to young vet who died of Rift fever

Via The Herald, a sad story, read the whole article, excerpt :

" KABEGA Park church was filled to overflowing this week as grief- stricken family and friends paid their last tributes to a beautiful young Cradock veterinarian who died of Rift Valley fever.

Former Framesby High School headgirl Dr Anje Pretorius, 27, died at Port Elizabeth’s St George’s Hospital last week after a 24-day coma, dashing hopes she would recover from the disease she fought so hard to combat as Cradock’s state vet.

Vets from all over South Africa who had studied with Anje in Pretoria flew down for her funeral and a Facebook page dedicated to the cheerful young woman is brimming with tributes.

Speaking to Weekend Post, her devastated father, Cobus Pretorius, of Van der Stel, PE, said his beloved daughter had taken the utmost precaution when carrying out autopsies on farm animals suspected of being infected with the disease.

Pretorius said she had been “scared” of contracting Rift Valley fever, which can be passed on to humans who come into contact with the tissue of infected animals. He said she had complained of flu symptoms but tests had repeatedly come back negative for the disease, which is spread among animals by mosquitoes."

Namibia : RVF Under Control - for the Time Being

A report from All Africa :

" NAMIBIA got off lightly from the recent outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF), which caused the agricultural sector revenue losses of millions of dollars.

However, should farmers not take precautionary measures by vaccinating their animals, they might be in for a rough ride next summer.

So says Dr Cleopas Bamhare, acting chief veterinary officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.

According to Bamhare, no new RVF infections have been reported since the ones reported on six farms in the Hardap Region and one in the Karas Region. The onset of winter played a significant role in bringing the deadly disease under control for the time being, he said.

Seventeen animals died in the two affected regions in what was regarded as the first RVF outbreak in Namibia since 1985."

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."

Namibia : Outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Hardap and Karas Regions

Via Republikein online :

" Following the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the Republic of South Africa last year, the state veterinary services of Namibia has been on high alert. As a result the first cases have been detected and confirmed at two farms in the Hardap Region on 12 May 2010. In addition, there is one suspicious outbreak under investigation in the Karas Region. Rift Valley fever is an insect borne viral disease of cattle, sheep and goats which can also affect Humans.

As a consequence, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry imposes, with immediate effect, the suspension of all movement of cattle, sheep and goats from, into within and through the two regions of Karas and Hardap for one week. Therefore all permits that were issued involving the 2 regions have been suspended. The slaughter of cattle, sheep and goats at export abattoirs and the sale of animals at auctions have also been suspended. All border posts are now closed for livestock, game animals including fresh or frozen meat for own consumption until further notice.

These measures have been imposed in order to allow time to ascertain the extent of the outbreak and to open negotiations with trading partners. Updates on the prevailing situation will be given as information is received.

Meanwhile intensified surveillance activities are underway in the Karas and Hardap Region and state veterinarians elsewhere in the country have been put on high alert. Farmers are therefore urged to report any animals (cattle, sheep and goats) that exhibit suspicious signs (as outlined below) to their nearest veterinary official, to assist and cooperate with veterinary officials in their investigations. Owners of farms in high risk areas (close to water bodies, recently received heavy rainfall and experiencing increased biting fly activity) are urged to be particularly vigilant.

Efforts are underway to import Rift Valley Fever vaccines and make them available to farmers through local suppliers."

WHO - Rift Valley fever in South Africa- update 2

From WHO :

" On 11 May 2010 Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine in Germany reported that additional laboratory analyses conducted both in Germany and South Africa on the German tourist who was preliminarily diagnosed with Rift Valley Fever (RVF) following her return from South Africa, was in-fact infected with Rickettsia and not with RVF virus.

Rickettsia, commonly known as tick fever is a bacterium which can cause many diseases that are transmitted by blood-sucking parasitic arthropods such as fleas, lice and ticks. Symptoms of rickettsial infections include rash, fever, and flulike symptoms. African tick bite fever is caused by rickettsia africae and tends to be a milder illness, with less prominent rash and little tendency to progress to complicated disease. All rickettsial diseases respond to treatment with antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline

As of 10 May, the Government of South Africa has reported 186 confirmed cases of RVF in humans, including 18 deaths, in Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Northern Cape Province, Western Cape, and North West Province. RVF is a viral disease that primarily affects animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and camels). The disease can also affect humans. The main mode of transmission of RVF is via direct or indirect contact with the blood or organs of infected animals. Human infections have also resulted from the bites of infected mosquitoes. There is evidence that humans may become infected by ingesting the unpasteurized or uncooked milk of infected animals."

South Africa : Rift Valley Fever kills 17 in South Africa

Via Xinhua :

" The death toll from Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in South Africa has risen to 17, the South African health department said on Friday.

Charity Bhengu, spokeswoman for the South African health department, said the latest deaths were reported in Britstown and Karos, near Upington, in South Africa's Northern Cape province.

The overall number confirmed cases reported to South African authorities have risen to 183 since the outbreak began on Feb. 13.

The South African Press Association (SAPA) reported that laboratory confirmed human cases of RVF showed 107 occurrences in South Africa's Free State, 56 in the Northern Cape, 13 in the Eastern Cape, two in the North West province and three in the Western Cape, with two unknown.

Eight people have died after contracting the sickness in the Free State, another eight in the Northern Cape, with one in the Western Cape."

WHO : Rift Valley fever in South Africa- update

Via WHO, their latest update on the current Rift Valley fever situation:

" As of 27 April 2010, German health authorities reported a laboratory confirmed case of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in a traveller returning to Germany after a trip to South Africa from 17 March to 8 April 2010. The case, along with three travel companions, visited rural areas and game reserves along the coast of Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces. On 7 April 2010, the case developed symptoms including fever, headache and a rash (exanthema). Almost concurrently a similar illness was reported in her travel companions. German health authorities are currently investigating the circumstances around infection in the confirmed case.

As of 3 May 2010, the Department of Health of South Africa has reported 172 cases, including 15 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak in Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Northern Cape Province, Western Cape, and North West Province. While it is reported that most of these cases have had direct contact with RVF-infected livestock and/or are epidemiologically linked to farms with confirmed animal cases of RVF, there are a number of cases in which the route of transmission is currently unknown. Exposure to infected mosquitoes in these cases cannot be currently ruled out. "

You can also read my earlier post with regards to the first outbreak of Rift Valley fever in South Africa recently.

South Africa : Toll rises to 12 in South African Rift Valley Fever outbreak

Via Xinhua, this is the first time I (as a commoner) am hearing of this disease. I would like to know about this disease and it's effects as it sounds dangerous and as all disease transmitting from animals, this can spread.

" One more person has died of Rift Valley Fever, driving the overall death toll of the disease in South Africa since Feb. 13 to 12, the country's authorities announced on Wednesday.

South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said the latest death had occurred in the Western Cape Province.

The person was from the Oudtshoorn area, an official with the NICD said.

This was the first Rift Valley Fever death in the Western Cape in the current outbreak.

The disease has affected thousands of farm animals and 150 people in the Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and North West provinces, according to the South African Press Association (SAPA).

In humans, the disease was mostly associated with people who had direct contact with blood or tissues of infected animals, SAPA reported.

The majority of those affected were people working on farms, veterinary workers and abattoirs.
The fever is associated with mild, flu-like symptoms."