The National Department of Health confirmed that 34 people from the Free Sate and two people from the Northern Cape were infected since the beginning of the outbreak earlier this year. Alongside the RVF cases were two incidents of Congo fever reported in the Free State and the Northern Cape.
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Molefi Selufaro confirmed that the RVF was no longer confined to the two provinces but had spread to the Eastern Cape where three people were reported to be infected. He said those that had direct contact with infected live stock remained a high risk group.
‘Most of these cases reported direct contact with RVF-infected livestock and or are linked to farms with confirmed animal cases of RVF. The human cases are; farmers, veterinarians and farm workers. Additional suspect cases are currently being tested,’ he said.
RVF is spread through contact with infected tissue of livestock and occasionally through mosquito bites. No specific treatment or vaccination had been made available for people at this stage.
Symptoms of the RVF last for up to seven days before the immune response becomes detectable with the appearance of antibodies and the virus disappears from the blood.
