Suspected anthrax : goat meat may be the cause for illness

Five persons undergoing treatment at KGH

All the five persons of Kodipunjulavalasa village of Araku mandal in the district, who were admitted to the King George Hospital (KGH) with symptoms of anthrax infection, are undergoing treatment in the isolation ward at the Dermatology department.

They are out of danger.

K. Krishna (60), J. Somanna (45), G. Mangalayya (33), J. Gundu (50) and P. Gundu (38) had reportedly consumed the meat of a dead goat around 20 days ago.

A week later, boils developed on their hands and fingers.

They were shifted to the Area Hospital at Araku on June 24, and doctors suspected it to be a case of anthrax infection and shifted to the KGH the next day.

Samples sent to lab

District Medical and Health Officer N. Uma Sundari and KGH Superintendent G. Arjuna visited the ward on Monday and met the patients. Ms. Sundari said the samples were sent to the Microbiology Lab for testing and the report was expected by Tuesday.

Vaccination

She said that the Joint Director of Animal Husbandry was alerted to initiate measures for the vaccination of animals.