Six New RVF Cases Reported in Saudi Arabia [Archives:2000/41/Health]

RIYADHSix new cases of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) were reported during the past 24 hours in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the official SPA news agency reported Saturday. According to a statement issued by the Health Ministry, five infected cases were detected in Jizan, one in Al-Qunfutha and another citizen died In Jizan region. The death toll of RVF in the kingdom rose up to 58, while the number of infected cases reached 264, said the statement. The statement recommended citizens in Jizan region to take
necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites and close contacts with animals. The fatal disease, which broke out in Saudi southern city of Jizan near the border with Yemen on September 11, was first reported in Kenya, Africa in 1930 and was believed to have been
brought into Saudi Arabia through cattles imported from Africa or through people already infected with it. RVF virus is transmitted from livestock to human by mosquitoes. It causes high fever, diarrhea, nausea, internal bleeding and dysfunction of kidneys that can result in death. Saudi government has allocated some 24 million Saudi riyals (6.4 million U.S. dollars) to combat the killer disease. Enditem (Xinhua)

WHO Calls for Massive Effort
Against Diseases of Poverty
GENEVAThe World Health Organization (WHO) called on the international community to unite for a massive effort against diseases of poverty.Speaking at a meeting held in the Swiss town of Winterthur Tuesday, WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland said, A few main diseases, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and childhood killers, plus reproductive health conditions, are directly biting into the economic growth of poor countries.
There is increasing recognition of the sheer difficulty faced by developing nations as they seek to counter these health threats, she said.
There exist a number of effective health interventions that drastically reduce mortality of main killers, according to the WHO chief. If the interventions are taken to a global scale, she said, the world will have a concrete, result-oriented, and measurable way of starting to reduce poverty. She called this process
Massive Effort Against Diseases That Cause or Perpetuate Poverty.
Up to 200 experts on health, advocacy and public relations are attending the Winterthur Health Forum from October 3 to 6. The forum follows recent announcements by the G-8 nations that targets have been set to reduce the burden of malaria and tuberculosis by 50 percent within 10 years and to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by 25 percent within the same time period.
The WHO chief said that in order to maintain the political commitment, a popular movement is needed to keep up the pressure on decision makers, expecting it to stimulate people in all countries to find their own best ways of carrying forward the Massive Effort.
It must be a movement that is based on a shared and strong set of values, she said. It must be a movement that is oriented towards action, with measurable, clear goals and outcomes. And it must be a movement that celebrates plurality and new ideas. (Xinhua)

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