RVF Kills 89 Tanzanians so Far: PM

RVF kills 89 Tanzanians so far: PM

DAR ES SALAAM, April 21 (Xinhua) — The Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has so far claimed the lives of 89 people in Tanzania while another 87 people are still hospitalized for the viral disease.

The figures were revealed by Tanzanian Prime Minister Edward Lowassa while addressing the National Assembly now in session in Dodoma, according to reports reaching here on Saturday.

The prime minister told Tanzanian lawmakers on Friday that as of April 18, 249 people had reported to hospitals and clinics for RVF symptoms.

Of the total, 73 were discharged after treatment while 89 died of the disease, leaving 87 still in health facilities.

The central region of Dodoma is the most hit administrative area in the country, where 144 people had reported to hospitals and clinics while 56 patients had died of the disease.

Fifty-five patients still remained in Dodoma hospitals and clinics after 33 people had been discharged after treatment.

First reported in the country in late January this year, the viral disease has so far been reported in nine of the country’s 26 regions, mostly in the north bordering with Kenya.

The affected regions are Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Singida and Tanga.

Prime Minister Lowassa also told lawmakers that so far the disease had killed 5,580 cows, 6,866 goats and 3,898 sheep, all being livestock animals.

Tanzania has so far got 1,620,000 doses of vaccines which have been distributed to 37 mostly-hit districts in the country.

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