slaughtering of animals was imposed by the Kenyan Ministry of Health. Somalia Heavy rainstorms over southern Somalia in December brought about and influx of mosquitos that quickly spread the disease among domestic herds. By late December, 3 cases had been confirmed in Lower Juba and dozens of other cases were suspected across Somalia's southern regions. On 20 February 2007, 51 deaths were reported in Somalia. Tanzania Cases of RVF were first reported in livestock on 18 January 2007, with the first human case being confirmed in the Arusha region in mid-February. By mid-March, new clusters of the disease were detected in the Dodoma and Morogoro regions. By 3 May 2007, 264 cases and 109 deaths had been confirmed by authorities. International response and research In Kenya the CDC Atlanta-Special Pathogens Branch began training staff for the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, sending them a PCR testing machine and reagents for detecting RVF in samples. The United Nations Emergency Coordination group send funding and equipment to Tanzania, while the WHO sent teams to train Tanzania's clinicians in patient care and diagnostic testing. Virologists collected over 296,000 mosquitos and tested over 72,000 for Rift Valley Fever via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, with positive results from mosquitos in the Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Masonia species. The virus was also observed for the first time to be infecting Ae. pembaensis, Cx. univitattus, and Cx. bitaeniorhynchus mosquitos. Most human cases were the result of viraemic exposure to animal tissue. Aftermath The last case of RVF was confirmed in the Rift Valley Province and died in the Baringo District on 9 March 2007. At least 394 hospital confirmed cases of RVF were ultimately fatal. The outbreak highlighted the necessity of monitoring livestock for RVF before disease can become widespread enough in herds to significantly spread to humans. Even though animals in Baringo County had shown signs of disease since December 2006, the first human case was not reported until 25 January 2007. The CDC in partnership with the University of Edinburgh began establishing surveillance teams to monitor emerging pneumonias, diarrheal disease, and febrile illnesses West Kenya's domestic animal herds, with the goal of such increased surveillance being to detect future outbreaks in animals before they reach humans. References 2006 disease outbreaks 2007 disease outbreaks Disease outbreaks in Kenya Disease outbreaks in Somalia 2006 in Kenya Disease outbreaks in