RVF spread to the Beaufort West district after the Western Cape Department of Agriculture in the Murraysburg district of the Karoo donated 40 000 doses of the RVF vaccine.

Two deaths of the Jersey cows on the northern border of the Northern Cape were the first to be linked to RVF. Other confirmed cases were those of 12 merino lambs that died on a farm located east of Beaufort West. Both cases were confirmed by the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute to be RVF related.   Various other cases were still under investigation.

A local state veterinarian who conducted post-mortem examinations on the livestock was suspected to have been infected.

Western Cape health department spokesperson, Helene Rossouw confirmed that the vet was currently the only human case detected. His symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle aches and extreme eye pain with sensitivity to light.   She said blood samples had been taken to confirm the cause of the symptoms and the vet was in a stable condition at home.    

Up to 63 people were confirmed to have been infected with RVF in the country.

Western Cape health MEC, Theuns Botha said the province had enough capacity to handle the outbreaks with the Tygerberg Hospital’€™s Infectious Diseases Unit on standby.

RVF is expected to spread in a westerly and south-westerly direction from Beaufort West. Areas   with lush vegetation and open tracts of open water that favour mosquito breeding are consider high risk areas for the spread of RVF. Other factors expected to increase the spread of RVF include heavy rainfalls that were predicted by the weather bureau over the western parts of the Western Cape in the coming weeks.

 Sheep and cattle farmers were urged not let their stock graze in wet low-lying areas with large mosquito populations. No treatment had been made available to treat the infections but farmers were advised to keep infected livestock quiet, in the shade with good feed and enough water. Farmers need to contact a private veterinarian should they require assistance with their livestock.

Live Rift Valley fever vaccines are the only prevention methods only available for use on live stock. The vaccine was manufactured by the Onderstepoort Biological Products who are currently the sole manufactures of the vaccine. Although it might cause miscarriages in pregnant animals it is effective if used correctly.