Simdega: The fatal disease Anthrax has again shown signs of comeback in Jharkhand's Simdega district as two individuals were tested positive on Monday. Both are being treated in the district hospital.
Over 200 cases of Anthrax were reported from the district in the last two years, out which 11 succumbed to the disease.
The fresh outbreak has caused scare in Khanjaloya Kadamtoli village under Pakartand block where two tribals Vipin Kishore Bilung and Vijay Bilung have been found infected with the life-threatening disease.
Anthrax is a potentially fatal disease that could attack the body through four forms — skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Anthrax is spread by contact with the bacterium's spores, which often appear in in infected animals or their products like bone, hair and hide. Infected people experience swelling in the skin or complain of problem in breathing.
Anthrax patients in Jharkhand's Simdega district. (News18)
Though a rare disease, human anthrax, when it does occur, is most common in Africa and central, southern Asia. If infection occurs treatment is with antibiotics and possibly antitoxin.
Simdega Civil Surgeon AE Ashraf confirmed the Anthrax outbreak saying, "Both infected from the disease are out of danger. We are running awareness program in the district. Despite that the impoverish tribals tend to skin the dead animals for meat which seems to be the primary reason for the fresh outbreak."
A medical team is visiting the affected and neighbouring villages for early identification of other Anthrax infected individuals. The civil surgeon said a team of veterinary doctors had been dispatched to vaccinate domestic animals.
Talking to News18, some villagers said that on May 22 they consumed meat of a dead goat. After some days, two of them Vipin and Vijay complained of skin problems. Both were rushed to the district hospital where the Anthrax infection was confirmed.
The disease has been showing signs of comeback for the last two years in Kolebira area of Simdega.
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