PRETORIA, March 16 (NNN-BUANEWS) — At least 21 human cases of River Valley Fever (RVF,) including two deaths have been confirmed in South Africa’s Free State province.
As of March 15, 2010, the Department of Health has confirmed a total of 22 human cases of RVF including one in Northern Cape province.
The cases include farmers, veterinarians and farm workers, who had direct contact with RVF-infected livestock or linked to farms with confirmed RVF animal cases.
Deputy Minister for Health Dr Molefi Sefularo said here Monday that while there was no specific treatment, the majority of people exposed to the disease had a good chance to recover completely.
He advised people to avoid contact with tissues of infected animals, to refrain from drinking unpasteurised milk and to prevent mosquito bites to avoid becoming infected.
“Farmers and veterinarians should wear protective clothing when handling sick animals or their tissues,” Sefularo said, noting that there was no routine vaccine available for humans.
He further warned that an ongoing outbreak of RVF affecting sheep, goats and cattle on farms was also spreading within Free State, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provinces.
RVF is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes unplanned termination of gestation and deaths of young livestock.
Key symptoms of RVF in humans include sudden onset of flu-like fever and/or muscle pain. Some patients develop neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, loss of appetite and vomiting. The symptoms usually last from four to seven days.
Severe symptoms of RVF in humans include vision disturbances, intense headache, loss of memory, hallucinations, confusion, disorientation, vertigo, convulsions, lethargy and coma and haemorrhagic Fever
People living in affected areas are encouraged to seek medical attention health facilities, should they experience any of the above symptoms. — NNN-BUANEWS
Latest by NAM NEWS NETWORK:
- SATELLITE IMAGES TO BE USED IN MAPPING FORESTS IN FIJI
- THAI ARMY CHIEF ORDERS HIGH ALERT AGAINST ILLEGAL ACTS ALONG BORDER
- MALAYSIA RECORDS HIGHEST TOTAL TRADE OF RM1.3 TRILLION LAST YEAR
- PARAGUAY'S VICE PRESIDENT & WIFE DOWN WITH DENGUE
- HANTAVIRUS ALERT IN CHILE AFTER THREE DEATHS & TEN INFECTED
