| Unconfirmed and unsubstantiated reports of a strange disease outbreak among animals. Number of affected animals is high and it is causing widespread spontaneous abortion of fetuses. There is also a high death rate among young animals. |
Disease outbreak notified at two sites (one in Kenya and one in Tanzania in the vicinity of the border. Form RRT and investigate. Disease is affecting a large number of animals. It has appeared quite quickly and some farmers reporting that up to 3/4 of their pregnant animals have been affected. There are also reports of human illness.
As dusk gathers, the cows kick up clouds of dry, red dust as they make their way home to Parksanka boma, on the edge of Kenya’s Amboseli national park. Tall, young Moran (warriors) wearing beads, red shukas (blankets) and rubber sandals made of tyre off-cuts supervise the herd as it makes its way into a kraal, circled by thorn tree branches and the Maasai’s mud houses.
By local standards the head of the household, Jackson Ntipapa, with his 450 cows, 300 goats, 500 sheep and 20 donkeys, is a wealthy man. When pastures are bad, he drives the herds south across the nearby border to Tanzania, like generations of Maasai have done before him. For them the border is an artificial construct, and largely meaningless.
Today he’s worried that a couple of his returning cattle appear to be sick, and he suspects they might have Rift Valley Fever, a mosquito-borne disease that is endemic in the area during the rainy season and can have devastating effects on ruminants, causing abortions and death As he’s examining one of the cows, his wife brings him a sick grandchild who has been complaining of a headache and fever. They decide to report the sick animals to the veterinary centre in Namanga, the nearest town that straddles the Kenya/Tanzania border, and his wife says she will take the child to the health centre.
Exercise Control request for an investigation team to examine possible abortions in animals in the Namanga area. The district RRT was notified of the outbreak and investigation team was dispatched to the two specific locations.
The outbreak is unusually large and there are a number of aborted and dead young animals. The farmer reporting the incident believes that up to 3/4 of his pregnant livestock may have aborted.
There is an initial veterinary report that dead animals have been confirmed at farm locations nearby so this may be part of a wider outbreak.
The farmer reporting the matter is very worried about the situation on the farm as not only has he seen a dramatic increase in abortions and deaths of young animals, he is also reporting that two family members who has been handling carcasses have become rapidly ill with fever.
A request is made for an investigation team to examine possible abortions in animals in the are and the farmer briefs team on human cases.
Two family members are ill with sudden onset fever (at home). These people had been handling aborted carcases and dead young animals. The sick people had rapid onset fever and some bleeding from the nose.
Some family members have traveled to Namanga to seek health care and are away from the farm.
Day 2Report from District RRT team is shared with Namanga Local Administration and Kajiado District Office in Kenya and Longido District Office in Tanzania. The District should analyses information and takes action based on SOP’s and findings reported to provincial teams then national teams.
FAO/OIE has received reports of an RVF outbreak in southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania and are requesting information from Kenya, Tanzania and the EAC Secretariat.
Requesting the following:
1. Update on situation in Kenya and Tanzania
2. Asking if any other reports have been received from other EAC member states
Three people who have been admitted to the clinic. These people have a high fever and bleeding from the nose. The onset of symptoms was very quick and one of the the patients condition has deteriorated rapidly. The affected people stated that they had started to feel unwell the day before but went to the health clinic when their symptoms worsened.
People have been admitted to the clinic. These people have a high fever and bleeding from the nose. The onset of symptoms was very quick and one of the the patients condition has deteriorated rapidly. The affected people stated that they had started to feel unwell the day before but went to the health clinic when their symptoms worsened.
Manager of the slaughterhouse is concerned about the welfare of his staff and has contacted the District. He would also like some public health advice. District RRT goes for inspection of Slaughterhouse facilities.
Inspection of the slaughterhouse facilities
Laboratory results coming in from patients over the past two days have indicated that this is an unusual and novel virus. It appears to be related to Rift Valley fever, but it is showing some significant genetic variation. Scientists are referring to the novel disease as East Rift Fever (ERF). It shares many of the characteristics of Rift Valley Fever, such as rapid onset, fever and hemorrhagic symptoms. There is concern that this novel virus is better adapted to humans and is capable of human to human transmission. There has been some anecdotal evidence that this has already occurred. The means of transmission is unknown but various theories have been put forward. Theory one is through close contact and theory two is that it is spread by biting insects. More information is required.
Safari vehicle arrives with 4 tourists on board. One tourist is obviously sick with what appears to be ERF and had been visiting Masai communities in the infected area. All others including the driver are healthy. These tourists are catching a Precision Air Flight from Kilimanjaro Airport to Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi the following day. Other tourists are well but all have been in close contact with the infected person for the past two weeks (14 day holiday taking in the sights of Tanzania and Kenya which commenced in Kilimanjaro Airport and all have been in the affected area for the past 10 days). Tourists stated that the illness had come on very suddenly. All tourists are heading back to the Mt Meru Hotel in Arusha before flying on tomorrow night with KLM back to Amsterdam. They are coming from Kenya to Tanzania (Amboseli Nat. Park).
Local community requests advice on how to protect their livestock and their families from this disease, Safe disposal of dead livestock, How to safely handle deceased persons, and Government compensation for dead livestock.
WHO IHR DO (Regional) requests information from the governments of Tanzania and Kenya about the outbreak and the suspected human to human cases. Requests to know if the countries are declaring a public health emergency and what support is required from WHO. What criteria is required for such a declaration and who makes the declaration.
Sheep truck with livestock arriving from an infected area.
Meat products found on local transport – Matatu.
Meat products are boxed and were obtained from the infected area just prior to the person boarding the vehicle (one hour ago). Another family member is carrying 20 plastic packages containing unpasteurised milk; 10 people on the Matatu, only two people (the ones with the produce) are related.
Small minibus arrives on from Kenya with 15 people on board. Three people symptomatic with unknown illness and they come from infected village.
Kenyan Ministry of home affairs request NBO airport authorities to get ready for the arrival of possibly infectious travellers
Tanzanian Ministry of home affairs request JRO airport authorities to get ready for the arrival of possibly infectious travellers.
