HARARE - The Zimbabwe Government has banned the importation of meat and meat products and the movement of live animals into Zimbabwe from South Africa following reports of an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces.A spokesman from the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services, William
Shereni, said the ban was temporary and they were consulting their South African
counterparts on how the situation could be contained.
“We fear the situation, however, since there is no government vaccination programme
in that country,” he said in an interview.
South Africa’s Chief Director for communication in the department of Agriculture,
Forestry and fisheries, Noncedo Vutula, said Rift Valley Fever outbreaks had been
reported at Grootbrak River and in Drakenstein.
The disease is spread by mosquitoes and causes abortion in animals and death in their
young. Humans can, however, get infected if they come into contact with bodily fluids from infected animals or handle infectious aborted matter. The disease is characterised by a short incubation period, fever, hepatitis, high morbidity in lambs less than one week of age, and high abortion rates.
Post published in: Economy