Rift Valley Fever Kills 164 in Sudan*

The Associated Press
Thursday, November 22, 2007; 1:50 PM

GENEVA -- An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Sudan has killed 164
people, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Rift Valley Fever is normally a mild disease in humans with a fatality
rate of around one percent. But in patients who develop the hemorrhagic
fever form, the fatality rate is around 50 percent, according to the
U.N. health agency.

More than 221 people caught the virus over the last two weeks, bringing
the total number of cases to 451, including those who died.

Most of the cases occurred in White Nile, Sinnar, and Gezira states in
eastern Sudan, WHO said. Around two dozen cases were reported in
Khartoum State, where three died.

WHO officials were alerted to the outbreak on Oct. 18, but only
determined the exact nature of the disease in early November, according
to the agency.

There is no treatment for the disease, which is spread to humans mostly
through contact with the blood and organs of infected animals or from
bites of infected mosquitoes.

WHO has said Sudanese officials were quick to alert the international
community about the disease, which is essential to containing the
outbreak and helping those affected.