Plague reports

[betchevy]

At least eight people have died of plague in Endoji Village, Mbulu District, in Manyara Region. The deadly disease is spread by rodents, which have multiplied in big numbers in the area. Manyara Region is experiencing yet another outbreak, as Rift Valley Fever, another contagious animal disease with recent cases reported in Babati and Simanjiro districts, continues to wreck havoc. The Mbulu District Medical Officer, Dr John Gulisha, confirmed that eight people had died of the disease since February 28, this year when the first case was reported. Despite the fact that medical reports indicate that only eight people, mainly children, had died of the disease, impeccable sources in the village maintained that the death toll stood at 15 people. Dr. Gulisha said symptoms of the ailment include swellings under the armpits, high fever and body fatigue. Since the beginning of January this year, rodents have invaded some villages in Mbulu District. The situation deteriorated when villagers started killing the rats. As more rats got killed and were discarded at random, the virus that causes the disease spread out quickly, causing more infection to people, especially among children. Dr. Gulisha said efforts had been made to control the spread of the disease, including communicating with the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. `Preliminary findings have proved infestation of the disease. The problem is far from over as rodents continue to multiply in the area,` Dr. Gulisha said. He called on villagers to cooperate with medical experts by keeping their surroundings clean and avoiding arbitrary killing of rats, because the practice catered as a breeding ground of the epidemic.)

 

[Christina]

And the signs keep a coming:)