Pretoria - The Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform in the Eastern Cape has put aside R2.4 million to swiftly respond to the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak across the province.
In January, an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever was confirmed in Graaff-Reinet and the Kei Mouth area.
A joint operations command committee comprising the department, Department of Health and the Amathole District Municipality was formed to deal with the outbreak.
Consultation meetings with communal and commercial farmers were conducted in January, while awareness campaigns and livestock censuses are still being conducted.
A total of 550 000 doses of vaccine will cover the affected areas bordering the Kei River in Mnquma Municipality, mainly Centane, Mbhashe Municipality (adjacent to the Centane coastal area) and Ngqamakwe.
A few fatalities, including sheep in Kei Mouth and Hereford cows in Graff-Reinet, have been confirmed. The joint operations team is working around the clock to manage the outbreak.
