Rift Valley Victim Toll, Soars [Archives:2000/39/Front Page]

The number of the Rift Valley Fever victims in Hodeidah has shot up frighteningly during this week. 95 people died in the governorate of Hodeidah and the Yemeni-Saudi border areas especially Harradh.
Sources from the governorate of Hodeidah have said that the number of dead people in Moor Valley had approached 60 while other places like Ubad, Kudmah, Zuhair,Mahal Manih, Budilah, and Al Marawidh have become completely infected. Other neighboring areas are somewhat semi-infected now, as well.
The sources added that hundreds of cattle had expired due to the disease especially in the Zuhra region, which was hugely infected with the disease.
Starting from today, Monday 25th September, it is expected that Saudi airplanes will spray chemicals to overcome the disease in the border region. Meanwhile there are fifty ground teams accompanied by Dr. Abdu Alwali Nasher the minister of health and Mr. Ahmed Salem Al Jabali, minister of Agriculture, in the area exerting large efforts in this regard.
Reports from other villagers in the governorate indicate that the disease has reached their areas. Meantime efforts to control the disease are inefficient, they said.
What is worse is that these days there are heavy winds which help spread the virus especially that thousands of mosquitoes are swarming that region due to humidity and rain.
Official statements until last night pointed out that 24 deaths occurred whereas the sources of field teams said that there had been more than 95 cases.
Great fear has prevailed in those areas especially that the spraying process has not exceeded the infected areas. And until now, a regional belt around those areas has not been put to action. Some of the citizens of the unaffected areas in Zuhra and others have complained that they have no more source of income after the death of about two thirds of their cattle.

The rift valley fever disease started spreading in districts nearby Hodeidah. Al-Zuhrah district has been reported to be an infected area. Appearance of the disease started in southern areas of Saudi Arabia, then moved to Harad, Abss and to Al-Zuhrah. A Yemeni medical team headed by the health director in Hodeidah and another medical vet team rushed to the area to work for containing the disease. About 40 cars sprayed insecticide in areas where mosquitoes are found.
Official sources say that the disease has claimed lives of 23 persons while other local sources indicate that the number is more than 95. They indicated that most of them died and were buried before medical teams arrival in the districts.
YT visited the areas where the disease spread in Harad, Ebss and Al-Zuhrah district. Yemeni medical teams seem to be helpless to contain the disease. Their activities were restricted to spraying insecticide on swamps. The people are very upset asserting that they had already informed the authorities and complained about the symptoms of the disease in their districts a long time ago. However, authorities concerned did not respond positively. In Al-Zuhrah hospital, we saw three cases while other cases are reported to have died last Friday.
Ali Shajri, 38, from Abad village, said he suffered from strong diarrhea with bleeding and that he felt a strong headache and high fever. While Abdu Hajori, patient in hospital, said he threw up blood and that he felt dizzy and confused sight.
Mr. Mohammed Hadi, from Abad village, said that 7 persons and 20 sheep died in the village. He said that 20 sheep were buried quickly so as to contain the disease. Another 10 persons died in a neighboring village, he added. He indicated that the disease is more rampant in al-Kadmah, al-Merdak, Bajilah and that symptoms of the disease started to appear in Dir Eyssa near hodeidah.
In Al-Zuhrah village, we met with sheikh of the village Dr. Hassan Taher, MP, who said The disease needs strong and hard efforts to contain it. Ministers of Health and Agriculture have rushed to the area and medical teams are working in the field.
Rift valley fever is a strange disease and is reported to be the first time to spread in Yemen. As for symptoms of the disease, ways of protection, we talked to Dr. Mohammed Salem Noman, teacher and assistant Heart Dep. Sanaa University who said It is a viral disease that affects animals or humans and leads to bleeding.
It first appeared in Kenya in 1931 and then in some African countries. In 1993 death toll had risen to about 600 besides tens of thousands of animals. Therefore, the disease is originally from Africa and is communicated by mosquitoes which carry the disease to animals and to humans as well.
As for disease symptoms, he said The patient feels fever, headache, and pain in limbs and muscles. He does not see properly. Some patients throw up and suffer from diarrhea. The good thing is that 95% of these cases recover from the disease. However, 5% of these cases suffer from some repercussions that may result in hepaptosia, lienitis, kidney problems and blood bleeding. Red spots are seen on the skin of the patient as a result of bleeding. Central nerve system may also be affected. The patient may suffer from paresis and lose sight completely.
For protection, he said Sheep died of this disease should be burnt as disease can be transferred to other creatures. Mosquitoes should also be fought by spraying swamps with insecticide. Doctors and nurses should use masks
Worth mentioning is that in Wadi Moor villages are more than 150 thousand people, all of whom are working in pasturing and sheep trade to the neighboring countries. New military check-points were set up in Al-Zuhrah district and neighboring villages to prevent the spread of meat or milk to Hodeidah or neighboring markets.
Yemeni medical spraying teams are loitering around waiting for modern spraying teams from Saudi Arabia to come.


——
[archive-e:39-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-09-25-p:./2000/iss39/front.htm]