Officials in the West African country of The Gambia report the first human case of Rift Valley fever (RVF), according to The Alkamba Times report.
The Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Dr. Abdou Ceesay said, ”One human case has been reported: a Mauritanian national residing in the Senegalese border village of Ker Ayib, who was treated at the Ker Ali Health Center.”
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In addition, an outbreak in the North Bank Region (NBR) has been reported which has already claimed the lives of four cows.
The outbreak was first detected on October 31, 2025, in Kissima Jaw village, NBR. Blood samples from affected cattle tested positive for RVF at a laboratory, marking the first confirmed cases in The Gambia this season.
Dr. Ceesay called on livestock owners to immediately report symptoms such as abortions, premature deaths, or high fevers in cattle and small ruminants to the nearest veterinary offices.
“This is a transboundary and zoonotic disease,” he explained, noting its ability to infect both animals and humans. The virus, primarily spread by mosquitoes, had already emerged in neighboring Mauritania and Senegal, prompting heightened surveillance in The Gambia.