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THIS WEEK: Rift valley fever breaks out in Kiboga, Mityana

THIS WEEK: Rift valley fever breaks out in Kiboga, Mityana

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health on Nov.24 confirmed the outbreak of rift valley fever in the districts of Mityana and Kiboga after two samples tested positive.

The confirmed samples were of a 26 year old forest ranger in Kiboga and 69 year old fisher man from Mityana who passed on after showing similar signs of vomiting blood, bleeding from the gums and high fever.

Rift valley fever a viral zoonotic disease mostly affects animals but also spread to humans who come in direct contact with infected animals.

The disease can be transmitted by handling animal tissue through slaughtering, assisting with animal births and through conducting veterinary procedures.

Uganda recorded its first case of rift valley fever in humans in 2016. However, under normal circumstances the virus is spread by mosquitoes between animals with sheep being the most severely affected.

Infection in livestock is noticed when large number of abortions occurs in herds. The disease commonly occurs in the rift valley region of Kenya.

 

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