- People can get RVF through contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals, or through bites from infected mosquitoes
- The World Health Organisation says the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and blood feeding flies
Image: FILE
Acting Director General for Health Patrick Amoth has called on the counties to be on high alert after a case of Rift Valley Fever was confirmed in a human.
The case, according to a circular to all county directors of Health dated January 24, was confirmed in an individual from Turbi in North Horr subcounty in Marsabit county.
This marks the first reported human case in the country with Amoth saying experts are conducting further investigations to ascertain if there might be any additional cases, and assess the extent of the outbreak.
The DG is now calling on the counties to be on high alert for a potential spread of the disease, given the reported increase in mosquito population nationwide and the movement of livestock.
“This outbreak is closely associated with the conclusion of El Nino rains, leading to surge in the mosquito population and an increased transmission of vector-borne diseases,” Amoth said.
“Therefore the Director General for Health advises all counties to remain on high alert for the potential spread of RVF. The Ministry of Health is working closely with the Directorate of Veterinary services to monitor the situation and will update you accordingly,” the DG said.
The ministry is now calling on the county health departments to sensitise healthcare workers to RVF case definitions to increase the index of suspicion.
They are also required to share the case definitions with all health facilities and reporting units.
Similarly, the health departments have been called upon to enhance disease surveillance and reporting at all levels, and establish and/or enhance capacity for sample referral to National Public Health Laboratories for confirmatory testing.
“Specifically, county department of health should activate county level multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms using the One Health approach, to guide preparedness and response efforts,” Amoth said.
They will also be required to develop RVF specific preparedness and response plans, implement integrated vector control programmes and conduct public awareness campaigns about RVF.
The public awareness should focus on preventive measures which include using protective equipment such as gloves and protective gowns when assisting with animal births, discarding aborted/stillbirths or retained placenta and disposing of carcasses.
Avoiding the handling and consumption of uninspected meat and use of insecticide treated bed nets to prevent mosquito bites are other key focus areas.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, RVF is a viral disease commonly seen in domesticated animals in sub-Saharan Africa, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels.
People can get RVF through contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals, or through bites from infected mosquitoes.
The World Health Organisation says the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and blood feeding flies.
In humans, the disease ranges from a mild flu-like illness to severe haemorrhagic fever that can be lethal.
"While some human infections have resulted from the bite of infected mosquitoes, most human infections result from contact with the blood or organs of infected animals," WHO says.
The global health agency warns occupational groups such as herders, farmers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinarians are at higher risk of infection.
Humans may also become infected by ingesting the unpasteurised or uncooked milk of infected animals.
However, no human-to-human transmission of RVF has been documented, the WHO says.
WHO further notes that the virus is a member of the Phlebovirus genus and was first identified in 1931 in a sheep epidemic on a farm in the Rift Valley of Kenya.