Rinderpest is a virus that kills cattle, and was prevalent in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Was. Scientists believe that, except for samples in controlled laboratory conditions, they have wiped the virus out of existence. This would be only the second time in human history that a virus has been destroyed. The first was smallpox.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization has said that it will now suspend its efforts to track and eliminate the virus, confident it has been eradicated. When the disease first showed signs in Africa just before the 20th century, between 80% and 90% of cattle and buffalo on the continent were killed. Rinderpest killed on average seven out of 10 cattle infected with the disease until the 1960s, when Walter Plowright developed a workable vaccine.
A simple test was designed to be used by people in the field and to give reliable results within minutes, proving highly effective and leading to it being been rolled out across Africa. Experts would train locals to recognise the disease and administer vaccines, even working with nomadic tribesmen in the regions and vaccinate herds "on the move".
With Rinderpest set to be declared eradicated next year, Africa can finally focus it's efforts on cleaning up it's lesser issues: poverty, famine, and war. But really, it is the biggest veterinary achievement since Bob Barker told people to spade and neuter their pets.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization has said that it will now suspend its efforts to track and eliminate the virus, confident it has been eradicated. When the disease first showed signs in Africa just before the 20th century, between 80% and 90% of cattle and buffalo on the continent were killed. Rinderpest killed on average seven out of 10 cattle infected with the disease until the 1960s, when Walter Plowright developed a workable vaccine.
A simple test was designed to be used by people in the field and to give reliable results within minutes, proving highly effective and leading to it being been rolled out across Africa. Experts would train locals to recognise the disease and administer vaccines, even working with nomadic tribesmen in the regions and vaccinate herds "on the move".
With Rinderpest set to be declared eradicated next year, Africa can finally focus it's efforts on cleaning up it's lesser issues: poverty, famine, and war. But really, it is the biggest veterinary achievement since Bob Barker told people to spade and neuter their pets.
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