Namibia: Farmer 'Has Rift Valley Fever'
Denver Kisting
9 June 2011
At least two Namibians are suspected to be infected with the deadly Rift Valley Fever (RVF).
Dr Charles Grevelink, a medical doctor at Aranos, yesterday confirmed that blood test results showed that Kobus van Wyk, a well-known karakul farmer in southern Namibia, has RVF.
Grevelink said the results were received from Johannesburg in South Africa last Thursday.
Speaking from his farm some 50 km north of Aranos, Van Wyk yesterday said one of his employees is also ill.
...
Van Wyk said more than 20 of his stud stock lambs and "a few" adult karakul sheep died.
"And then every morning there is an aborted or a stillborn lamb".
...
According a report released by the International Organisation for Animal Health yesterday, 23 goats had died in the Oshikoto Region in May. This came after 45 RVF cases were reported and 230 goats were considered to be susceptible to the disease.
The report warned that "there are two outbreaks [in Namibia] that are still recorded as unresolved. It is not possible to declare this event resolved until these individual outbreaks are resolved."
...
Denver Kisting
9 June 2011
At least two Namibians are suspected to be infected with the deadly Rift Valley Fever (RVF).
Dr Charles Grevelink, a medical doctor at Aranos, yesterday confirmed that blood test results showed that Kobus van Wyk, a well-known karakul farmer in southern Namibia, has RVF.
Grevelink said the results were received from Johannesburg in South Africa last Thursday.
Speaking from his farm some 50 km north of Aranos, Van Wyk yesterday said one of his employees is also ill.
...
Van Wyk said more than 20 of his stud stock lambs and "a few" adult karakul sheep died.
"And then every morning there is an aborted or a stillborn lamb".
...
According a report released by the International Organisation for Animal Health yesterday, 23 goats had died in the Oshikoto Region in May. This came after 45 RVF cases were reported and 230 goats were considered to be susceptible to the disease.
The report warned that "there are two outbreaks [in Namibia] that are still recorded as unresolved. It is not possible to declare this event resolved until these individual outbreaks are resolved."
...