January 31, 2007

Kenya plans rift valley fever vaccine

The Kenyan government has started manufacturing livestock vaccines for rift valley fever, which has threatened the country's beef sector.

Livestock minister Joseph Munyao said the vaccine, currently being delivered from South Africa and the US, would be manufactured locally to help in the vaccination of 2 million livestock across the nation.

There are no vaccines for humans, but the health ministry has advised the public to eat inspected meat, avoid human-animal contact, bury or burn dead animals and observe basic hygiene.

The government has banned the slaughter of livestock and the broad majority of the public has boycotted eating it for fear of contracting the disease, state-run Kenya new agency reported.

The Kenyan government and donors have raised about US$2.5 million to prevent the spread of the disease through vaccinations, quarantine and surveillance, Munyao said.