In a bid to contain the outbreak of the highly contagious Rift Valley fever across the nation, authorities in Benghazi took sweeping action on Tuesday, ordering the closure of several major livestock markets in the city.
The move came as part of a coordinated interagency campaign spearheaded by Benghazi’s Municipal Guard working in conjunction with the Criminal Investigation Department, Military Police, and Environmental Sanitation and Animal Health Authority.
Markets shuttered included the livestock trading hubs in the Al-Qawarsah and Al-Kuwaifiya districts, which draw vendors and buyers from across the region. Vendors were given no advance warning, with officials deploying before dawn to lock down the facilities, citing urgent public health concerns.
Rift Valley fever is a viral disease that primarily affects domesticated ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats. However, it can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or animal products, prompting fears of a wider epidemic.
The virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis and eye lesions in humans, has no approved vaccine or course of treatment. Mortality rates in some previous outbreaks have topped 30%.