The Rift Valley fever virus is spread primarily by mosquitoes and mainly affects livestock.
Humans can contract the disease by eating meat from infected animals or by handling sick livestock.
Favorable weather conditions in the countries of the Horn of Africa have put the risk of infection by the Rift Valley fever virus for both humans and animals at minimal to negligible, reported the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization March 5. In fact, the high rate of infection during that time has made many livestock animals immune to the virus and is contributing to the low risk of infection at this time, the agencies report. Remote sensing satellite data of climatic conditions fully support ground observations that conditions in the Horn of Africa countries are highly unfavorable for multiplication of mosquito vectors of the Rift Valley fever virus. The Rift Valley fever virus is spread primarily by mosquitoes and mainly affects livestock. Humans can contract the disease by eating meat from infected animals or by handling sick livestock.