Uganda is prepared to deal with the deadly Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in case the disease spreads into the country after an outbreak occurred in neighboring Kenya.

"I am not aware of the disease in the country but if it comes, we have an epidemic preparedness department to combat it," Dr. Emmanuel Otaala, the state minister for primary health care, was quoted by Daily Monitor on Tuesday as saying.

The lethal RVF virus, which started last week in the northeastern part of Kenya, is spreading at a high rate to the western part of Kenya in many livestock rearing communities and flood affected areas. It has left dozens dead and hundreds hospitalized mainly in the northern part of Kenya.

The heavy rains that have led to flooding in many areas have heightened RVF in East Africa, which left over 300 people dead in 1997-1998. The mosquitoes that carry the RVF virus breed in seasonally flooded depressions and their eggs may persist in dry sites for several years.

However, RVF is endemic in the region as it naturally occurs in livestock but occasionally affects humans. Animals are infected with the RVF virus by infected Aedes mosquitoes.

The most affected communities in Kenya are those with the livestock and most of them graze their animals and trade their livestock across borders of Uganda and Kenya.

The disease is common during rainy seasons and spreads through mosquito bites and getting into contact with infected animals. It can also be spread from animals to man during slaughter and contact of organs of affected animals.

Its common symptoms include influenza, with sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle pain and backache, which are not easily identifiable from those of malaria until patient reaches acute conditions.

The patient also suffers from complications such as vomiting blood, nose bleeding. Passing of bloody stool also occurs when the disease manifests itself as hemorrhagic fever.

Presently, there is no vaccine available for the treatment of the RVF disease in humans, though there is a vaccine for animals.

Source: Xinhua