The Rift Valley Fever Outbreak in South Africa

A few months before South Africa is supposed to host the FIFA World Cup, an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever has infected at least 7 individuals, killing one.

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According to the Deputy Minister of Health, a 45 year old patient was admitted to the hospital on February 26 with a presumptive diagnosis of Congo fever and died a day later. Testing confirmed that the offending virus was Rift Valley Fever a week ago.

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The other six people infected have mild disease and are under observation and treatment.

The deputy minister of health says the disease poses no threat to the soccer event and is not considered a crisis.

Rift Valley Fever is mosquito-borne virus that is endemic in parts of Africa including South Africa. It primarily infects animals like sheep, cattle and goats and it can have an economic impact on a community due to the loss of livestock.

Humans get infected through contact with infected animal blood or organs. Butchering and slaughtering of animals is a primary cause of transmission to humans. Certain occupations are at a higher risk of getting Rift Valley Fever like farmers, herders and veterinarians.

It can also be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites and the bites of blood-sucking flies.

Most cases of Rift Valley Fever are mild and symptoms include fever, headaches and muscle pain. However, a small percentage of people can get serious disease which includes retinitis, encephalitis and a hemorrhagic fever. Fatalities happen in less than 1 percent of those infected.

The health department is recommending those farmers in Free State and Northern Cape use gloves and other protective gear when doing high risk activities like slaughtering.

The Rift Valley Fever Outbreak in South Africa

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Wine and Witches in South Africa's Hex Valley

When the moon glitters on the first snow of winter, a bewitching young woman is said to walk the Hex River Valley tragically searching for her lost love. Some say Eliza is South Africa's most famous witch, whilst others know her as the daughter of a lowly farmhand who became mentally ill after causing her only love to fall to his death:

Eliza was a beautiful young woman whose stunning looks ensured that she had numerous suitors. However, she was also a spoilt and self-centred girl, and when she fell in love with Frans she was determined that he worked hard for her affections. In order to marry her he must pick her a red disa in the kloofs of the Matroosberg; the highest peak in South Africa's Hex Valley.

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The red disa is a stunning bright red orchid, which is still spotted by lucky walkers in the Matroosberg. Spottings are rare though and the plant has a predilection for growing in inaccessible places, such as ravines and steep mossy gorges. To pick a disa is near impossible without mountaineering equipment, and Frans, unprepared for the task, slipped and fell with a brilliant red disa in his hand.

On hearing that her young lover had died, Eliza was beside herself and became mentally unstable. Her parents kept her locked her in her bedroom and if you had visited the old farmstead a couple of years ago, before it was demolished, you would have spotted "Eliza 1868" scratched into the old windowsill.

One night, wearing just a nightgown, Eliza broke out of her prison and wandered to the foothills of the mountains, where Frans had walked previously. There she sat and sobbed, but the outcrop crumbled beneath her and she also fell to her death. Some say that her ghost wanders the Matroosberg on moonlit lights, crying and wringing her hands. In Afrikaans, they call her the Heks van Hex Rivier, or the witch of the Hex River.

Witches and disas may be one reason to visit the Hex River Valley, but there is a far better one ¬- wine! The wine-producing region is located just a 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town and the small town of De Dooms boasts South Africa's longest harvest season. Autumn here is magnificent as the vines change into rich reds and golds providing a stunning backdrop against the blue-hued mountains. Wine tasting is a must, and many of the local vineyards provide tours of the chateau, followed by brisk lessons in how to sample the goods.

One of South Africa's most friendly game reserves is located in the Hex River Valley. The Aquila Reserve, named after a rare black eagle that thrives in the area. Aquila is known for its cheetahs and it highlights the plight of this cat and its rapidly diminishing numbers. Aquila's cheetahs were born in captivity and therefore don't form part of Aquila's game drive, but a safari around the reserve lets you spot all of South Africa's big five from lion to rhinoceros. From lion and cheetah to witches and wine, a trip to the Hex River Valley is certain to leave you bewitched.

Wine and Witches in South Africa's Hex Valley

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