Quarantine imposed as anthrax outbreak confirmed in Kanungu

KANUNGU, September 20, 2024 — An outbreak of Anthrax has been confirmed in Kanungu district, according to Ambrose Mwesigye, the Resident District Commissioner [RDC].

In a media conference in Kanungu, Mwesigye announced an immediate quarantine on all animal movements, especially cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and all associated products.

Available information indicates that at least 63 cows have succumbed to the infection, while another 28 have been confirmed sick. Additionally, one person has died from the disease, and another is receiving treatment at Kihihi Hospital.

Police and other security agencies in the district are on high alert to monitor the situation, while butchers, slaughterhouses, and animal markets have been closed. “Any violation of these directives will be dealt with severely,” Mwesigye warned.

Dr. Mutahunga Birungi, the District Health Officer, emphasised that the disease poses serious health risks to humans and cautioned the public against complacency.

Dr. Aloysius Tumwesigye , the Kanungu District Veterinary Officer, had previously raised concerns about cattle deaths in Kambuga Sub-county last month.

The disease was confirmed at the National Animal Diseases Diagnostics and Epidemiological Centre [NADDEC] in Entebbe after testing indicated clostridial infection in three out of five samples. “We have taken measures including cattle vaccination and advisories to bury carcasses and avoid consuming or slaughtering dead animals,” Tumwesigye said.

The outbreak was first reported at Mburameizi Barracks HCIII on September 9, 2024, as a strange illness affecting herdsmen, butchers, and beef consumers. Two men admitted to Mburameizi Barracks HCIII displayed symptoms after slaughtering and consuming a carcass on September 2, 2024. Both had contact with dead cows and developed signs of skin ulcers.

On September 12, another male adult in Kambuga Sub-county who had slaughtered a dead cow died, and two family members developed skin lesions. “Although clostridial infections can resemble anthrax, the health department decided to treat all similar cases as anthrax until proven otherwise,” Tumwesigye added.

Anthrax is highly transmissible between humans and animals, with the bacteria naturally found in soil. Animals become infected by ingesting or inhaling spores from contaminated soil, plants, or water. The incubation period for anthrax ranges from 1 to 3 days but can extend up to 60 days in cases of inhalation anthrax.

Between 2017 and 2022, Uganda experienced at least 19 human anthrax outbreaks linked to handling or consuming meat from dead cows. Similar cases were reported in Ibanda district in April 2023 and in Kyotera in November 2023.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of anthrax include acute skin swelling and itching, abdominal pain, and wounds with a black center. As of September 17, at least 28 cases had been reported in Kanungu district, including Kambuga Town Council [8], Katete Sub County [10], Bugongi Subcounty [7], Kihihi Town Council [1], and Kambuga Subcounty [1].

According to the District Veterinary Office in Kanungu, test samples confirmed the presence of anthrax, a serious disease caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacteria, primarily affecting animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle. Other symptoms include skin ulcers with black spots, neck swelling, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, non-productive cough, and respiratory failure.

Recommended treatment

The public is urged to report any suspected illnesses to the nearest health facility and avoid self-treatment, as the disease is highly infectious. Patients should be treated for at least 10 days with Ciprofloxacin [500mg every 12 hours], Doxycycline [100mg every 12 hours], or Amoxicillin [1g every 8 hours]. Severe cases should be referred to a health center or major hospital.

This outbreak will impact the livelihoods of many farmers reliant on dairy farming, and other businesses in the production and market chain may also be severely affected.

https://thecooperator.news/kasese-cows-die-of-suspected-anthrax/

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