At least three people have been confirmed to have contracted the Rift Valley fever (RVF), which has affected the Middelburg and Hofmeyer areas.
According to a report from State Veterinarians in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, a veterinarian and his assistant who conducted the first post mortem in Middelburg where the outbreak was first confirmed, tested positive with RFV.
On the other hand a 49-year-old man, believed to be a farm worker, has also tested positive and the Department, with the assistance from the Department of Health, are currently tracing him down in the Hofmeyer area.
In the case that involves a veterinarian and his assistant, they have been treated in hospital briefly and have been released and are currently recovering well at home.
State Veterinarians have stressed the RVF was not a life threatening disease.
Due diligence is being taken in dealing with animals that are suspected to have contracted RVF and the affected officials who conducted the first post mortem were not suspecting RFV, hence they were affected.
Veterinarians and their assistants have since taken precautions when handling sick animals, foetuses or carcasses with minimum protective clothing that include gloves, goggles, overalls and boots.
Meanwhile the number of farms affected has risen from one to three in both Hofmeyer and Middelburg. The RVF have been confined to commercial farmers in these areas and have not yet affected communal livestock.
The Department has reaffirmed its veterinary quarantine notice to the affected area, which states that the livestock (sheep, goats and cattle) may not be permitted to be moved from the farms expect those authorised by a written permit from a state veterinarian.
The following control measures must also be applied:
* Vaccination of all susceptible stock under supervision of a veterinary official using a new needle for each animal.
* Immediate notification of all mortalities, abortions and illness to local animal health technicians or state veterinarian.
* Carcasses, foetuses or products may not be destroyed or tampered with unless authorized by state vets.
* Carcasses must be disposed of by burning or burying.
* Precautions must be taken when handling sick animals, foetuses or carcasses. Minimum protective clothing should include gloves, goggles, overalls and boots.
* Additional control measures should include weekly spraying of stock with fly and mosquito control remedy, moving of animals away from standing water and moving of animals to high altitude areas.
The vaccination of livestock in the affected areas is continuing and the state veterinarians are monitoring the situation in a bid to ensure that the RVF does not spill over to other areas.
For more information contact:
Manager Communications and Customer Care Services Fikile Black
Cell: 082 578 1437
For information about RVF contact:
Dr Ndzamela
Tel: 045 807 7006
Cell: 083 462 6019
Dr Pretorius
Cell: 072 211 7280
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
19 March 2010
