Five hospitalized as anthrax hits Kazo

Kazo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five people in Kazo district are hospitalized after consuming meat suspected to be contaminated with anthrax.

Dr Andrew Oguta, the team leader District Anthrax Task Committee said during a sensitization meeting at the town council headquarters on Thursday that five people had been put under quarantine and samples sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe.

He said that sensitization meetings conducted by Health workers from Buremba Health  Centre III are being conducted to create awareness about the disease in the district and also curtail its spread.   He said that all five cases were suspected of slaughtering a cow that had died in Buremba Town Council.

Tayebwa Benezeri, the Chairperson of Rushango Cell I says that the health workers who first appeared to handle the cases went into hiding and directed the relatives of the sick to take them to the health facility.

Kazo district joins other districts of Bushenyi, Sheema, and Ibanda in the Ankole region which have in the past months struggled to contain the disease.

Anthrax is most common in wild and domestic herbivores, such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and antelopes.

Animals with anthrax may die quickly and may have a high fever or blood around their nose, mouth, and anus just before death, while in humans those infected with anthrax through exposure to tissue from infected animals, contaminated animal products, or directly present anthracis spores.

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