Quarantine in Tana Delta after Rift Valley Fever outbreak

Cows grazing at a farm in Hola. An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever has been reported in the Tana Delta and in Siaya County. PHOTO | STEPHEN ODUOR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Rift Valley fever a disease that mainly affects livestock.
  • More than 20 goats in the Tana Delta have been affected by the outbreak.
  • Residents have also been encouraged to use mosquito nets.

The outbreak of Rift Valley Fever has hit Tana River County leading to a quarantine in Dhidhe Ade.

More than 20 goats in the Tana Delta have been affected by the outbreak.

Speaking to journalists in Hola, County Director of Veterinary Services Anthony Kinyua said residents of Dhidhe Ade reported the symptoms on Monday after which further tests proved positive.

"Residents reported symptoms such as red urine and red faeces. The veterinary team rushed to carry out further tests that emerged positive,” he said.

As a result, all animals in the Tana Delta have been quarantined, Mr Kinyua said.

A directive has also been given to all slaughterhouses to shut down with immediate effect, with residents being urged to desist from eating beef or drinking raw milk.

MOSQUITO NETS

Residents have also been urged to sleep under treated nets as the disease can be transmitted by mosquitoes.

Mr Kinyua said that currently, vector control measures are ongoing with further surveillance being done to assess its spread.

This comes just a few days after the disease was reported in North Eastern counties, where 13 people have died.

A total of 234 cases have been reported since the outbreak.

SIAYA

Elsewhere in Siaya, the county government has issued an alert after one person died as a result of suspected case of Rift Valley fever.

On Tuesday evening, a man aged 20 died after he was taken to the Siaya County Referral Hospital having a fever and bleeding from body openings.

He is reported to have been sick and sought treatment at a local health centre for about one week.

According to the acting Chief Officer for Health, Dr Omondi Owino, the patient died while undergoing treatment but added that further investigations will be done to establish the cause of his death.

“Samples taken to the Kenya Medical Research Institute revealed that the cause of death as Rift Valley fever. Tests for Ebola and Marburg virus were negative,” said Dr Owino.

SICK ANIMALS

He said Rift Valley fever a disease that mainly affects livestock while people are mainly infected as a result of handling sick animals – either slaughtering them or assisting animals while giving birth.

The other mode of transmission from animals, which is relatively low, is by mosquitoes and bites from other insect.

The disease causes abortion in animals.

The county Department of Health and Sanitation has cautioned residents not to directly handle sick animals or slaughter them without consulting veterinary or public health officers.

Residents have also been encouraged to use mosquito nets.

“Anyone with a sick animal – mainly sheep and cows – must report to nearest authorities immediately and cases of abortions or loss of pregnancy in these animals must be reported too,” said Dr Owino.