The Jordanian government on Wednesday reassured jittery citizens that the country is free of Rift Valley Fever, which has recently been reported in the Middle East, reported the Jordan Times.
Both the ministries of agriculture and health are planning to step up their prevention campaign by spraying pesticides all over the country, particularly in areas teeming with cattle, around stagnant water and slaughterhouses.
“We never stopped last year's campaign, but we will pass a circular on the border posts, namely those between Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, to ensure that livestock will not enter the country,” acting secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture Asaad Abul Ragheb told the paper.
On Tuesday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned against a possible outbreak of the disease in Iraq.
RVF, an acute viral disease, poses a threat not only to livestock but humans as well.
The disease is spread by mosquitoes and the movement of animals. It causes spontaneous abortion and mortality in livestock and causes diarrhea, nausea and internal bleeding in humans that can result in death.
Last year, Saudi Arabia reported 120 deaths out of 443 people who contracted the disease. Another 19 deaths were reported in Israel, and 97 in Yemen.
“We already ban the import of live cattle from countries infected with RVF and other diseases that affect cattle, such as the screw worm in Iraq,” noted Abul Ragheb, saying there were no incidents of smuggling through the borders.
The Ministry of Agriculture is working hand-in-hand with the Greater Amman Municipality to exterminate mosquitoes all over the kingdom, added Abul Ragheb.
Saad Kharabsheh, director general of primary healthcare at the Health Ministry, noted that the ministry had been monitoring the disease since the first reported outbreak in Egypt in 1995.
“We received no notification of a recent outbreak of the disease in any neighboring country. However, we have already been taking precautionary measures since last year and we will continue taking them to ensure the safety of the people,” Kharabsheh told the paper – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
