EAST POKOT DISTRICT, Kenya –

An outbreak of an as yet undetermined illness has resulted in the death of 300 goats in the past month. Locals believe the problem is Rift Valley Fever, a virus that is contagious to both livestock and humans. However, District Veterinary Officer Joseph Lang’at believes it will prove to be caprine pleuropneumonia, also contagious and fatal, but not contagious to humans.

Samples have been sent for testing but the results have not been received yet. Until then, authorities recommend treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, a measure beyond the financial reach of most goat herders in this depressed area.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 17th, 2010 at 8:48 am and is filed under Blog Bits. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.