Near-Complete Genome Sequence of Ndumu Virus from Garissa, Kenya, 1997.

We report a nearly complete genome sequence of Ndumu virus (NDUV) identified using a metagenomics approach. The sequence was derived from a viral isolate obtained from a bovine calf following a diagnostic investigation of the 1997 to 1998 Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in the Garissa District of northeastern Kenya.

Complete Genome Sequences of Spondweni Viruses Isolated between 1958 and 1960.

Here, we report the complete genome sequences of 14 Spondweni viruses isolated in South Africa and Mozambique between 1958 and 1960. The sequences comprise 13 mosquito isolates and 1 human isolate following a documented laboratory infection. This study expands the publicly available data for this neglected virus from 4 to 18 sequences.

Human Cases of Rift Valley Fever in South Africa, 2018.

Major Rift Valley fever (RVF) epidemics in South Africa occur at irregular intervals, usually spanning several decades, with human cases rarely reported in the absence of widespread outbreaks in livestock. This report describes four cases of RVF in farm workers associated with an isolated outbreak on a sheep farm in the Free State Province of South Africa, in 2018. In contrast to the last major RVF epidemic in South Africa in 2010-2011, where detection of human cases served as an alert for an ongoing outbreak in livestock, the current isolated outbreak was first detected in livestock, and human cases recognized following subsequent epidemiological investigation. This highlights the importance of early recognition of livestock cases in reducing risk and impact of a subsequent RVF epidemic in humans. People working with animals should be aware of transmission routes and take precautions to minimize risk of infection.