Rift Valley Fever outbreak
2010-03-08 17:02
Johannesburg - There were seven confirmed cases of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in the Free State and Northern Cape and one death reported, the deputy minister of health said on Monday.
"A 45-year-old patient who was admitted to a mine hospital on the 26 February 2010 with a provisional diagnosis of Congo fever, died a day later and confirmation of RVF was made on the 4th of March," said Molefi Sefularo in a statement.
"The six others, who had mild disease, continue to be under observation and treatment."
Sefularo, who was on an inspection tour of the Pelonomi hospital in the Free State to inspect the level of readiness of health facilities for the FIFA World Cup, said the disease posed no threat to the event.
"I would like to place it on record that this occurrence does not constitute a crisis. The outbreak is being contained," he said.
RVF was a communicable virus, endemic in South Africa and other African countries. In animals, the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes outbreaks of abortion and deaths of young sheep, cattle and goats.
Contact
It was transmitted to humans through contact with infected livestock through direct or indirect contact with blood or organs of infected animals; the handling of animal tissue during slaughtering or butchering of animals or assisting with animal births; conducting veterinary services or through being cut by infected knives or needles among other things.
Sefularo said 15 farms had reported laboratory confirmed animal cases with extensive livestock deaths. The affected farms were primarily clustered around the Lejweleputswa District in the Bultfontein area.
He said no human-to-human transmission had occurred.
Symptoms of the virus were mild fever, headaches and muscle pain.
Sefularo appealed to farming communities in the Free State and Northern Cape to avoid high risk husbandry procedures and slaughtering practices by using gloves and protective clothing and to avoid the consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue.
- SAPA