Disease

Hundreds of schistosomiasis cases in Liberia

Health officials in the northern Liberia county of Gbarpolu are reporting hundreds of cases of the parasitic disease, schistosomiasis, or snail fever, since September.

County Health Officer (CHO), Dr. Anthony Tucker, said, “We went on an outreach in that area and we were able to diagnosed 327 schistosomiasis cases and immediately administered a single dose of Praziquantel tablet to reduce the severity of the symptoms.”

According to locals, the lack of basic sanitation facilities and safe drinking water is making the disease to thrive in the region. Others say the lacks of regular awareness about some preventable diseases is a major cause of the snail fever and other diseases in the area.

Newcastle Disease in Namibia

Following an outbreak of the New Castle disease in Namibia on July this year, the country’s Agriculture Ministry has banned movement and trading of live birds in the country.

The Ministry confirmed that the contagious bird disease that is transmissible to humans, had been spreading in three regions, Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto, in the north of the country.

This is not the first time New Castle disease is being reported in Namibia, but the magnitude of the current outbreak has not been seen in the country for a long period.