The ministry of health in Warrap State says human anthrax infection has been confirmed to be presence in Gogrial West County of South Sudan.
Anthrax is a severe infectious disease caused by bacteria known as bacillus anthracis. It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals. People can get sick with anthrax if they encounter infected animals or contaminated animal products.
Last month, Mayardit 90.7 FM reported the first admission of 18 people in Kuojok civil hospital with the severe symptom of anthrax infection. The cases came from Gogrial West County mostly among young children and adults. Samples were collected and taken to Uganda for further laboratory analysis and the result came positive.
Dr. John Akol Akol is the Acting Director General in the Ministry of Health in Warrap state. He said anthrax diagnosed in human is rare and the confirmation of anthrax in human could be result of people eating meat of dead infected animal.
He says they are coordinating with ministry of animal resources to ensure the disease infection is contained.
“Now the ministry of health and animal resources and fisheries in the state will work to prevent the disease, because anthrax is diseases first animals, but it affected the human when people eat meat of infected animals”.
Akol cautioned the community to avoid eating meat of animal that have die with unknown diseases.
The areas of which the cases of anthrax have been reported includes Alek, Kuach North, and South other Payams all from Gogrial West County.