Kenya: Rift Valley Fever (600+ deaths)

[hawkeye]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Unidentified Disease

Kenya: Killer Disease Identified As Rift Valley Fever
December 22, 2006
Posted to the web December 21, 2006

Mike Mwaniki
Nairobi

The disease that has killed 11 people and 40 animals in parts of North Eastern Province is Rift Valley Fever.

A senior deputy director of Medical Services, Dr Shanaaz Shariff, said yesterday that specimens of samples analysed at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Centre for Disease laboratories in Nairobi had identified the killer disease.

The disease has killed seven people in Garissa and four others in Ijara District in the past three days.

In 1997, the disease outbreak killed 300 people and decimated hundreds of livestock in parts of the vast and arid province following heavy rains which led to flooding.

Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes.

At one time, it was confined to sub-Saharan Africa and is predominantly found in domestic animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. It can also affect human beings exposed to infected animals.

In 1977, it suddenly flared up as a human infection in Egypt involving 200,000 people, out of which 600 died.

The human outbreak is attributed to a new virulent strain of the virus. The illness is characterised by fever, headaches and bleeding through the mouth and nose.

According to experts, there is no efficient vaccine which protects human beings but there is one available for animals.

Yesterday, speaking by telephone, Dr Shariff appealed to Kenyans not to panic, saying the situation was under control.

Rift Valley Fever was a rare viral disease, which is not so lethal since it was known not to kill all those it afflicted, he said.

"It is not as deadly as other viral diseases such as Ebola, Lassa, Marburg or Yellow fevers," the medic noted.

A medical team had also been dispatched from the ministry's headquarters to assist the local one in strengthening surveillance in the affected areas, he added.

"At the moment, only two suspected cases have been admitted to an isolation unit which has been set-up at the Garissa provincial general hospital," he said.
He added: "At the same time, the ministry has sent 240,000 treated nets for distribution to pastoralists in the area."

Dr Shariff said that an upsurge of malaria and outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases had been reported in most parts of the country following heavy rains.

"However, the ministry has responded on time and ensured all the required drugs are in place."

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Unidentified Disease

Some snips:

Kenya: Garissa Killer Disease Finally Identified

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

December 21, 2006
Posted to the web December 22, 2006

Elizabeth Mwai
Nairobi

The Government has identified the disease that has killed 11 people in Garissa.

The Health ministry Public Relations Officer, Mr Njeru Ngari, on Thursday said the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) had identified the disease as Rift Valley haemorrhagic fever.

The fever is mainly an animal disease, but can be transmitted to human beings through mosquitoes and raw milk.

There is a livestock vaccine against the fever, but none for humans.

Head of Preventive and Promotive Health Services, Dr Shahnaaz Sharif, said mosquitoes were transmitting the fever, especially to men.

"Most of the patients are aged between 20 and 30 and are men," Sharif said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200612220120.html

[Laidback Al]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Unidentified Disease

RIFT VALLEY FEVER - KENYA (GARISSA): CONFIRMED
**********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
[1]
Date: Thu 21 Dec 2006

From: ProMED-mail

Source: The Standard online, Thu 21 Dec 2006 [edited] <http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/ne...eid=1143962788>

An unidentified disease currently ravaging parts of Garissa District [see ProMED-mail post entitled: "Viral hemorrhagic fever - Kenya
(Garissa): susp. 20061221.3578"] has claimed 5 more people, pushing the death toll to 12.
Garissa Medical Officer of Health, Dr Abdullahi Abagira, confirmed the deaths. He said the disease, which affects both livestock and human beings, was highly contagious and was already taking a high toll on the herdsmen in grazing fields, where the 1st case was reported last week. Seven people died from the disease in Shanta Abaq and Fafi areas, where hundreds of livestock have also succumbed.
The MOH said the animals are exhibiting similar symptoms as human beings but not as severe. Three herdsmen died on arrival at the Garissa Provincial General Hospital. Nurses told "The Standard" that efforts to resuscitate the bleeding patients were not successful.
Most of the victims experienced high fever, swollen limbs, diarrhoea and vomited blood. Abagira convened a crisis meeting on Wednesday to map out modalities of containing the outbreak amid fears that the disease could spread further. And medics from the African Medical and Research foundation (AMRF) jetted into the area in a bid to unravel the disease.
[Byline: Victor Obure and Adow Jubat]
******
[2]
Date: Fri 22 Dec 2006

From: ProMED-mail

Source: The Standard online, Fri 22 Dec 2006 [edited]
Source: <http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/ne...eid=1143962842>

The Government has identified the disease that has killed 11 people in Garissa. The Health ministry Public Relations Officer, Mr Njeru Ngari, said on Thu 21 Dec 2006 that the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) had identified the disease as Rift Valley haemorrhagic fever.
Consequently, Health minister Mrs Charity Ngilu and her Livestock counterpart, Mr Joseph Munyao, will meet on Friday morning [22 Dec 2006] to discuss ways of managing the disease. The fever is mainly an animal disease, but can be transmitted to human beings through mosquitoes and raw milk. There is a livestock vaccine against the fever, but none for humans. Head of Preventive and Promotive Health Services,
Dr Shahnaaz Sharif said mosquitoes were transmitting the fever, especially to humans. "Most of the patients are aged between 20 and 30 and are men," Sharif said. Speaking at a press briefing at the Ministry of Health headquarters, Sharif said the major symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, vomiting and abdominal pains. He attributed the outbreak to the floods in North Eastern Province. The ministry has started distributing 240 000 mosquito nets to residents.
[Byline: Elizabeth Mwai]
--
ProMED-mail



[The prediction by ProMED-mail moderators that the unidentified disease afflicting cattle-herders and their animals in the North Eastern Province of Kenya would prove to be an outbreak of Rift Valley fever has now been confirmed.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute, fever-causing viral disease that affects domestic animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and
camels) and humans. RVF is most commonly associated with mosquito-borne epidemics during years of unusually heavy rainfall.
The disease is caused by the RVF virus, a member of the genus _Phlebovirus_ in the family _Bunyaviridae_. The disease was first reported among livestock by veterinary officers in Kenya in the early 1900s. and has since been recorded throughout East Africa and the Middle East.
A detailed account of the epidemiology of Rift Valley fever can be found at the CDC web-site (<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/m...spages/rvf.htm>), and a map of the North Eastern Province of Kenya can be found at <http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic...file/kenya.pdf>. - Mod.CP]
[Unfortunately, once again, humans play sentinels for a (severe) zoonotic disease, which is also a transboundary disease. This is a reminder for the urgent need to improve animal health surveillance by the strengthening of veterinary infrastructures in eastern and other parts of Africa.
Laboratory confirmation, followed by official notification, are anticipated. - Mod.AS]
[see also:
Viral hemorrhagic fever - Kenya (Garissa): susp 20061221.3578
2004
----
Rift Valley fever - Saudi Arabia (Jizan)(09): OIE 20041003.2723 Rift Valley fever - Saudi Arabia (Jizan): suspected 20040907.2500
2003
----
Rift Valley fever, sheep, goat - Senegal: OIE 20031122.2901 Rift Valley Fever - Mauritania: OIE 20031020.2635 Rift Valley fever, human - Egypt (02) 20030902.2205 Rift Valley fever - Egypt 20030827.2158 Rift Valley fever, livestock, human - Mauritania: OIE 20030105.0034
2002
----
Rift Valley fever, sheep, goat - Senegal: OIE (02) 20021226.6130 Rift Valley fever, sheep and goat - Senegal: OIE 20021221.6107
1998
----
Rift Valley fever - Kenya & Somalia (07) 19981228.2447 Rift Valley fever - Kenya 19980721.1373 Rift Valley fever - Kenya & Somalia (04) 19980413.0676 Rift Valley fever - Kenya (Nairobi) 19980217.0309 Rift Valley fever - Kenya and Somalia (03) 19980131.0200 Rift Valley fever - Kenya and Somalia (02) 19980128.0190 Rift Valley fever - Kenya & Somalia: RFI 19980121.0166] ............................tg/cp/pg/arn/lm

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Rift Valley Fever

Archive Number 20061228.3643
Published Date 28-DEC-2006
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever - Kenya (Garissa) (05)



RIFT VALLEY FEVER - KENYA (GARISSA) (05)
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mailis a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Thu 28 Dec 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: IRIN News org East Africa, Thu 28 Dec 2006 [edited]
<http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56866>


The Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak that has killed dozens of people
in northeastern Kenya could threaten the livelihoods of pastoralists
living in the semi-arid province, after the government imposed
quarantine on local livestock.

At least 28 people have died from the disease since it was reported 2 weeks ago.

Hundreds of animals, mostly goats, in Fafi, Jarajila and Shanta Abak -- considered the epicentre of the outbreak -- have also died. Other areas affected are Korakora, Shanta Abak, Shell Gulliet and Shimbirey, all near Garissa.

The ban on movement of livestock -- aimed at containing the spread of
the disease -- comes just days before celebrations to mark the New
Year and Eid-Ul-Adha, a religious occasion marking the end of the
Hajj, in which Muslims are expected to slaughter animals.

On Wednesday, local leaders in the provincial capital, Garissa,
appealed to the government to declare the RVF outbreak and recent
floods in the region a national disaster, saying the disease had
negatively affected the welfare of the province's residents. They
said the quarantine would affect their revenue because they could not
collect on livestock sales.

Calling for emergency medical and food aid, Garissa Mayor, Siyat
Osman, said pastoralists in the affected areas were starving after
heeding the government's advice not to consume products from infected
animals.

But the chief medical officer in Garissa, Shahnaaz Sharif,
said health officials had held a meeting with religious leaders to
advise residents on the dangers of slaughtering livestock at home.

"We expect that more than 20 000 goats will be slaughtered in the
province at the end of the month to mark religious festivities," he
said. "It is important that this is not done at home to reduce the
risk of humans contracting the disease."

The disease was first identified in Kenya in 1931. The World Health
Organisation (WHO) says it occurs in epidemics in animals in Africa
and is associated with spontaneous abortions in sheep, goats, cattle,
camels, and deaths in young animals.

It can be transmitted to humans via mosquitoes or through contact with infected animal material, such as blood or other body fluids, or organs. Consumption of milk, a staple for many pastoral people, is also thought to lead to infection.

Following the latest outbreak, Kenya's health ministry is carrying
out clinical case management, surveillance and social mobilisation
activities, as well as mosquito net distribution.

The aim is to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission via unprotected animal husbandry and slaughter practices. The government also has 100 000 doses of animal vaccine.

--
Mary Marshall
<tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>

[The death toll in the Rift Valley fever outbreak in the North East
Province of Kenya has increased from 24 to 28 in the last few hours
and seems likely to increase.
A detailed account of the epidemiology of Rift Valley fever can be
found at the CDC web-site

(<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/rvf.htm>),

and
a map of the North Eastern Province of Kenya can be found at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/kenya.pdf>.

The material contained on <http://www.IRINnews.org> comes via IRIN, a
UN humanitarian news and information service, but may not necessarily
reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. - Mod.CP]

[The temporary closure of abattoirs might indeed help in protecting
their workers from exposure to RVFV infection. However, animals --
particularly sheep -- intended for commercial, veterinary-controlled
slaughter, might join the numerous animals finding their way to
uncontrolled ritual home slaughter during the coming Eid-ul Adha (31
Dec 2006 - 2 Jan 2007) celebrations.

It will be extremely difficult to convince devout Muslims not to perform the traditional sacrifice ("Qurban") which commemorates Abraham's sacrifice of Ismael. A rather efficient step in controlling RVF in animals and subsequently
reducing human exposure would be mass vaccination of domestic
ruminants. Unfortunately, the results of such an operation might only
be seen several weeks following vaccination. - Mod. AS].

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/promed/f?p=2400:1001:17418526787312490039::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,35656

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Rift Valley Fever

Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll Hits 50



The East African Standard (Nairobi)

December 31, 2006
Posted to the web January 1, 2007

Boniface Ongeri And Ali Abdi
Nairobi

Four people have died of Rift Valley fever in Wajir District, raising the death toll to 50.

Three other people were reported to have died of a disease suspected to be the deadly fever in the neighbouring Isiolo District.


It was the first time deaths from the disease were reported in the two districts bordering Garissa District, where it has claimed 46 lives.

North Eastern Provincial Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ahmed Omar, confirmed that the four Wajir residents died of the contagious disease.

Omar said two people died in Burder location and the other two in Habaswein location. The two areas are in Wajir South constituency that borders Garissa District where the disease has claimed 46 lives in two weeks.

Health experts sent to collect samples

The news of the deaths in Wajir led to a meeting of the District Steering Group (DSG) to discuss ways of curbing the spread of the disease.

DSG members comprise departmental heads and NGO officials.

"We anticipated an outbreak of waterborne diseases including cholera but not the killer Rift Valley fever," the District Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ahmeddin Omar, said.

A team of public health officers led by Mr Mohamed Kato went round Wajir town with loud speakers sensitising the residents about the dangers of the disease.

In Isiolo, the three, who died last week, were from two divisions neighbouring Garissa.

On Sunday, Isiolo District Medical Officer of Health, Dr Joel Egalia, told The Standard on telephone that a team of health experts had been sent to Modogashe and Sericho to collect blood samples from malaria patients and dead livestock.

The team, he said, had not communicated their results, as the areas were remote.

Councillors Hussein Abduba (Modogashe) and Ali Boru (Sericho) claimed the victims had symptoms of the deadly fever that had hit neighbouring Garissa District.

Slaughtering of livestock banned

An Action Aid official, Mr Ibrahim Kosi, said a herdsman, Hussein Rendille, bled to death at a village in Modogashe last Friday.

"He initially had malaria and fever. Last Friday, he started bleeding from the nose and mouth and within minutes, he died," said Kosi.

Boru said two women-Zeinab Gollo and Nuria Huka -died at Sericho trading centre last week of a disease whose symptoms are similar to that of Rift Valley fever.

Egalia said he had received the reports of the deaths but could not attribute them to the deadly fever until tests verified.

"We cannot conclusively say they died from Rift Valley fever until we conduct tests from the affected villages," said the doctor.

The MOH said the experts led by the District Public Health Officer, Mr Wario Salah, would interview villagers and take blood samples from both humans and livestock.


The Government has banned slaughtering of livestock in the region following the outbreak.

However, some residents had not taken the ban seriously. On Saturday, during celebrations to mark Idd Ul Hajj, some Wajir residents ignored the ban and slaughtered goats.

A survey on local hotels on Sunday, however, showed that they were serving meals without any meat - a staple food in the area.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701010004.html

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: 11 Killed By Rift Valley Fever

Kenya: 1,000 Officers to Fight Fever


The Nation (Nairobi)

January 3, 2007

Posted to the web January 2, 2007

Claire Gatheru And Jeff Otieno
Nairobi

At least 1, 000 veterinary officers will be dispatched to the flood-hit districts to supplement government efforts following a sharp increase of deaths from the Rift Valley Fever.

By Sunday, 46 people had died from the disease and there was fear from medical personnel that more would die this week following the ravaging floods in North Eastern and Coast provinces, which are yet to subside.

According to the Ministry of Health, six deaths occurred in Garissa, Ijara, Wajir and Tana River districts, which are still flooded following constant downpour.

Health ministry personnel said infection cases had shot up to 100 up from 80 despite by the ban on slaughtering of animals in the province late last week.

Leave for Isiolo

Speaking to the Nation yesterday, the national chairman of the Kenya Veterinary Association, Dr Christopher Wanga, said: "The first batch of Veterinary officers will begin leaving for Isiolo and Tana River on Thursday and will be followed by others on Friday and Saturday. We are currently working on the logistics of prevention of the infection by our members," Dr Wanga said.

Dr Wanga said that those participating in the exercise had been drawn from the association's seven branches countrywide.

The official said the members also held a meeting with the Director of Medical services "to plan on the operations on the ground".

"We will assist the Government in vaccination of sheep and goats using the 70,000 doses of Riftvax brought in by the Government," said Dr Wanga.

Speaking to the Nation last week, chief medical officer Shahnaaz Sharif said the disease was spreading fast in the neighbouring districts and had to be contained.

Domestic animals

"The immunisation campaign will target domestic animals kept by the nomadic communities in the affected areas," said Dr Sharif.

Meanwhile, thousands of Muslims thronged the general Mohamud Mohamed prayer ground in Garissa Town yesterday to mark the Idd-ul-

Hajj celebrations where divine intervention was sought to help control the spread of the disease.

Sheikh Mohamed Abdi, who led the prayers, urged the faithful to heed the Government's advice not to slaughter animals at home for the festivities.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701021701.html

[gjs47]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 50

"He initially had malaria and fever. Last Friday, he started bleeding from the nose and mouth and within minutes, he died," said Kosi.

Boru said two women-Zeinab Gollo and Nuria Huka -died at Sericho trading centre last week of a disease whose symptoms are similar to that of Rift Valley fever.

Egalia said he had received the reports of the deaths but could not attribute them to the deadly fever until tests verified.

"We cannot conclusively say they died from Rift Valley fever until we conduct tests from the affected villages," said the doctor.


Is it possible this is avian misdiagnosed, as happened in 1918?

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 50

Is it possible this is avian misdiagnosed, as happened in 1918?

Being no expert, I should say it is very unlikely it is avian flu. Several factors point to Rift Valley Fever (being a herdsman, symptoms, recent RVF outbreak) Nothing points to BF.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 50

Archive Number 20070103.0019
Published Date 03-JAN-2007
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever - Kenya (North Eastern Province)(02)



RIFT VALLEY FEVER - KENYA (NORTH EASTERN PROVINCE) (02)
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Wed 3 Jan 2007From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Kenya Broadcasting Corporation [edited]
<http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=40122>


Kenya: Rift Valley fever case number now 152 with 54 deaths
-----------------------------------------------
The death toll from the dreaded Rift Valley Fever in North Eastern province
has risen to 54 after 2 more people succumbed to the disease. The area
Provincial Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ahmed Omar, on Tuesday [2 Jan
2007] told the press that one person died at Garissa Provincial General
Hospital this morning [Tue 2 Jan 2007] while the other one died at Hagarbul
in Garissa District.

Dr. Omar said 47 new cases of the disease have also been recorded in the 3
districts of Garissa, Wajir and Ijara, bringing the total number of cases
to 152 up from 105.

He said in an effort to contain the disease, the government on Tue [2 Jan
2007] dispatched 2 doctors to Ijara and Wajir Districts to assist other
doctors at the district hospital, where many patients are admitted.

Dr. Omar, however, pointed out that the lack of enough nurses at Wajir,
Mandera and Ijara district hospitals and the poor state of the roads in the
province were hampering efforts to contain the disease. He appealed to
residents of the province to comply with measures that have been put in
place by the government to control the disease.

--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[So far, although the case number is increasing rapidly, the outbreak
remains confined to the 3 districts of Garissa, Wajir and Ijara in the
North Eastern Province of Kenya. - Mod.CP]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/promed/f?p=2400:1001:14584413063455910819::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,35704

[Niko]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 50

<http:><http:><tropical.forestry@btinternet.com><h ttp: //www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?id="40122">

Dr. Omar said 47 new cases of the disease have also been recorded in the 3
districts of Garissa, Wajir and Ijara, bringing the total number of cases
to 152 up from 105.



http://www.promedmail.org/pls/promed..._ID:1000,35704

Does anyone know if the 54 deaths are included in the total number of cases? If not, are the 54 deaths out of the 105 cases (with 47 new cases being reported)? Regardless whether it is 54 out of 105, 152 or 206 - this is a staggering CFR.
</http:></tropical.forestry@btinternet.com></http:></http:>

[Niko]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 54

U.S. Experts Called in to Help Stop Deadly Rift Valley Fever

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
January 3, 2007
Posted to the web January 3, 2007

By Elizabeth Mwai
Nairobi
A team of American researchers will arrive this week to help tackle the Rift Valley Fever outbreak.
The Deputy Director of Medical Services, Dr Shanaz Sharif, said the 14 experts from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) would be a boost in addressing the outbreak in Garissa.
"CDC has been buying animal vaccines and the experts' superior skills in diagnosis and microscopy will come in handy," he said. Speaking to The Standard on phone, Shariff said 161 new cases of the fever had been discovered.
He said the Ministry of Health has also been working with the World Health Organisation to bring the situation under control.
Sharif said about 30 researchers have been dispatched to the area.
CDC will be working with the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Recently, Health minister, Mrs Charity Ngilu, and her Livestock counterpart, Mr Joseph Munyao, issued a joint statement asking residents in flood-hit areas to be on the look-out for the fever.
Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease that affects livestock, and is transmitted to human beings through mosquitoes.
Ngilu said they had distributed about 100, 000 insecticide-treated nets to prevent further infections.
Meanwhile, the Government is vaccinating livestock in Garissa to ensure the disease does not spread.
It has also banned movement of animals from the infected areas.

<hr size="1" width="95%"> Copyright ? 2006 The East African Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701031468.html

[Niko]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 54

Credit to Sharpe




Rift Valley fever continues to take its toll

<small>Written By:Rose Welimo/kna , Posted: Wed, Jan 03, 2007</small>

<table align="right" border="0" width="280"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td><small>Caption: Residents urged not to slaughter animals at home and to thoroughly boil milk</small></td></tr></tbody></table>
The Rift Valley Fever (RVF) disease has claimed three more lives in Wajir District raising the death toll to 57 in North Eastern province.
Some 12 new cases have also been reported and victims admitted to various hospitals pushing the total cumulative cases of the highly contagious disease to 164 up from 152. Briefing the press in his office today, the Provincial Medical Officer Dr. Ahmed Omar said the two people succumbed to the disease in Biyamadhow and Diff areas of Wajir district.
Dr. Omar said two teams of doctors from Nairobi and the Provincial headquarters would be dispatched to Ijara and Wajir Wednesday to monitor the situation.
He said six tones of drugs including insecticides and treated mosquito nets would also be airlifted to the two districts.
He called on livestock owners in the affected areas to remove animals loitering in urban centres.
Dr. Omar also urged pastoralist to stop slaughtering animals at home and thoroughly boil milk before consuming it to avert further spread of the disease.
Meanwhile the veterinary department will next week embark on an intensive livestock vaccination campaign against the Rift Valley Fever in Isiolo district.
Livestock farmers have been urged to present their animals for the vaccination exercise, which will commence on Monday January 8.
The district veterinary officer Dr. Gerald Kimathi said that the ministry of livestock had provided adequate vaccines for all livestock in the area.
He added that logistics for the vaccination exercise were complete with teams of local veterinary personnel from the district and other districts on the ground to handle the exercise within the shortest time possible.
As a control measure, Dr. Kimathi said his department had issued an alert over the disease in the district following its proximity to Garissa and Wajir in North Eastern province where the disease has claimed over 50 lives.


http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=40147

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 57

Kenya: Three More Die of Rift Valley Fever

The Nation (Nairobi)

January 4, 2007
Posted to the web January 3, 2007

Eunice Machuhi And Kna
Nairobi

Three more people have died of Rift Valley Fever as the Government announced it would start vaccinating livestock to stop the spread of the virus.

The death toll from the disease has reached 57 in North Eastern Province.

The latest deaths happened in Wajir District. The dead were from Biyamadhow and Diff areas, said the provincial medical officer, Dr Ahmed Omar.

Twelve new cases have been reported and victims are recovering in various hospitals. Some 164 are so far infected by the highly contagious disease.

Tonnes of drugs

Two teams of doctors from Nairobi and the provincial headquarters are expected in Ijara and Wajir today.

Also expected to be airlifted to Ijara today are six tonnes of drugs, including insecticides and treated mosquito nets. A similar cargo is to be sent to Wajir, said Dr Omar.

He called on livestock owners in the affected areas to remove animals lfrom urban centres, noting that infections had gone down where quarantine and the ban on slaughtering of animals had been followed.

Dr Omar also urged pastoralists to stop slaughtering animals at home and to boil milk before drinking it.

In Isiolo, a major livestock vaccination campaign against the disease is planned for Monday.

The veterinary department has asked all livestock farmers to present their animals for vaccination.

The ministry had provided enough vaccine for livestock in the area, said the district veterinary officer, Dr Gerald Kimathi.

The veterinarian said the Government had stepped up campaigns against the disease.

The department had issued an alert on the disease in the district because of its proximity to Garissa and Wajir, said Dr Kimathi.

It had also outlawed the movement of animals across district and division borders in the region.

Locational resource management committees would be reactivated and their members trained to monitor diseases, said Dr Kimathi.

The committees would also control the movement of livestock.

Dr Kimathi warned that unscrupulous livestock traders might divert their illegal trade to Isiolo District despite the quarantine imposed in North Eastern Province.

The medical officer of health in Isiolo, Dr Joel Edalia, said a team of medical personnel had been sent to Sericho division, where mosquito nets and anti-malaria drugs had also been sent.

Vaccines for at least 100,000 livestock will be sent to Ijara for use in the fight against the fever.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701031451.html

[Snowy Owl]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 57

Kenya: Death Toll Rises As Rift Valley Fever Spreads

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
January 4, 2007
Posted to the web January 4, 2007
Nairobi

At least 60 people in Kenya's Northeastern Province are now known to have died from Rift Valley Fever (RVF), while health experts are warning that the virus may have begun spreading south.


"All evidence suggests that the disease is still spreading," said Kariuki Njenga, a virologist and laboratory director for the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Kenya.
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The worst affected districts in the Northeastern Province are Garissa, where 100 cases, including 40 deaths, have been reported; and Ijara, where 20 out of 42 people infected with RVF have died, Njenga said.


Cases of the disease have also been reported in Wajir and Tana River districts. One confirmed case has been reported in Kilifi District of the Coast Province, the latest area to report RVF infection since the disease was first identified in Garissa in early December.


The CDC has set up a field laboratory in Garissa to test suspected cases of the fever, and is helping the Kenyan livestock ministry to develop a vaccination strategy.


The RVF virus is spread to humans from livestock via the aedes mosquito, which breeds rapidly during floods.



The Northeastern Province, inhabited by nomadic pastoralists, was hit by devastating floods over the last three months of 2006, following heavier than normal rainfall.


It can be transmitted through contact with infected animal material, such as blood or other body fluids, or organs.



Consumption of milk, a staple for many pastoral people, is also thought to lead to infection.



Symptoms in humans include bleeding through the nose and mouth, and liver failure.


Njenga said a major livestock vaccination campaign in the affected areas would start on Monday and that aerial spraying against mosquitoes was also being planned.


Northeastern Province was previously hit by an outbreak of RVF in 1997 following heavy flooding caused by the El Nino weather pattern. Njenga said that it had become apparent that heavy rainfall and floods were related to RVF outbreaks in pastoralist areas.


"The government should therefore have a policy of pre-vaccination before the onset of the long rains to prevent outbreaks," said Njenga. "The disease is preventable with pre-vaccination."

The government has banned the slaughter of livestock in the affected areas, leading to the closure of livestock markets in a region where people depend on animals for income and food.


The disease was first identified in Kenya in 1931. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it occurs in epidemics in animals in Africa, and is associated with spontaneous abortions in sheep, goats and cattle, and deaths in young animals.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701040501.html

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Death Toll now at 57

Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Claims Five More Lives


The Nation (Nairobi)

January 5, 2007Posted to the web January 4, 2007

Hussein Abdullahi
Nairobi

Five more people have died of Rift Valley fever now ravaging parts of North Eastern and Coast provinces.

The latest cases raise the death toll to 62 from 57.

North Eastern provincial medical officer Ahmed Omar said three herdsmen died of the viral disease in Wajir District as the Government was about to conduct a mass vaccination of livestock in Wajir, Garissa and Ijara districts.

Dr Omar said one herdsman died at Habaswein sub-district hospital in Wajir as he waited to know the results of blood samples earlier taken from him for analysis at Garissa hospital.

The two died in villages at Biyamathow and Diff locations of Wajir District.

Dr Omar said two other herdsmen succumbed to the disease in the isolation unit at the Garissa provincial hospital where they had been admitted for three days.

He said 10 suspected cases had been clinically diagnosed with the virus from Sangailu area in Ijara District where a medical team is collecting more samples for analysis.

Medics attributed the spiralling infection cases among herdsmen to their close contact with infected livestock.

More infections were reported at Yumbis and Alikune in Garissa. Several animals have died in the same locality from the fever.

Dr Omar said the Ministry of Health had sent protective gear for health staff.

Personal protective gear

It had also released Sh1.55 million to Garissa and Ijara districts to boost the emergency medical operations.

Dr Mohamed Dualle Dahiye, the World Health Organisation (WHO) officer in charge of immunisations in the region, yesterday blamed the soaring infection levels on the culture of drinking the blood of animals.

Dr Omar regretted that the fever could remain in the region for a while since it could be transmitted to human beings by mosquitoes after they had fed on infected animals.

Further, female mosquitoes were capable of transmitting the virus to their offsprings via the eggs, giving rise to new generations of infected mosquitoes.

This provides a durable mechanism for maintaining the virus in nature, as the mosquito eggs could survive for several years in dry conditions.

In Wajir District alone, the disease killed more than 30 people and wiped out hundreds of livestock in 1997 during the El Nino rains.

The Government has announced that a team from the US Centre for Disease Control was expected in the country before the end of this week to join the war against the disease.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701040921.html