Residents from six villages in Kiruli sub-county, Masindi district, are living in fear after strange black flies invaded their area.

The tiny black flies have so far been reported in Kitengule, Ipedi, Kimina, Nyakarongo, Baghdad and Kyeicumu, near Murchison Falls National Park.

William Mugayo, the Masindi district vector control officer, said they had embarked on investigations to identify the strange flies.

Mugayo, who on Saturday (July 10) visited the area, said the flies look like the ones that cause river blindness.

“I have contacted the vector control division in the Ministry of Health in Kampala, who promised to send a team to the district to identify the insects.

 “I am expecting a team from the ministry so that we can do more investigations about them,” Mugayo said.

The residents in the affected villages said the flies bite both humans and livestock, causing intense itching that results in skin rashes.

“We believe the flies come with the elephants from the national park that frequently invade our gardens,” residents told New Vision.

Evas Bigirwa, a resident, said in addition to the intense itching resulting from the insect bite, they are also developing other health conditions such as fever that they believe is being caused by the flies.

Perez Asiimwe, a resident of Nyakarongo village, said domestic animals such as pigs, goats and cattle have started dying after being bitten by the flies.

He said some have been left blind, which has scared the residents.