KIGALI, Rwanda

A total of 33 people have died from Rift Valley fever in Senegal and Mauritania since its outbreak in late September, an official of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Thursday.

Data released by Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager at the Africa CDC, showed the disease has claimed the lives of at least 20 people in Senegal, with a case fatality rate of 11.7% in five regions of the West African country.

Speaking during a virtual press conference from the Democratic Republic of Congo on key health issues around the continent, Yap said 171 confirmed cases have been recorded.

The northern Saint-Louis region is the most affected, with about 159 of the recorded cases since the first laboratory confirmation of Rift Valley fever in the country on Sept. 20.

The data also showed that in Mauritania, Rift Valley fever has killed 13 people, while 36 cases have been recorded.

The disease has affected 12 regions of Mauritania, with Brakna and Traza the most hit areas.

The viral disease mainly affects animals but also humans.

Africa CDC figures show that in livestock, 22 cases of Rift Valley fever have been recorded, with 452 abortions attributed to the disease but no deaths.

Yap decried the fact that animal abortions economically impact people.

The most common symptoms of Rift Valley fever in people include flu-like fever, muscle and joint pain and headache.