The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Monday that there are anthrax outbreaks in five countries in East and Southern Africa, with over 1,100 suspected cases and 20 deaths so far this year.
In all, 1,166 suspected cases from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, and Kenya had been reported. The WHO reported that laboratory tests had confirmed 37 cases. Every year, the five countries are said to have seasonal outbreaks; however, Zambia was going through its worst outbreak since 2011, and Malawi this year reported its first human case. Thirteen deaths had been reported from Uganda.
Both wild herbivores and livestock, such as sheep, goats, and cattle, are typically afflicted by anthrax. If humans come into contact with contaminated animal products or animals, they may become infected.
Although there have been a few isolated cases of person-to-person transmission, the WHO states that anthrax is not typically thought to be communicable among humans.
Spore-forming bacteria is the cause of anthrax, and it is occasionally linked to the weaponized strain that was utilised in the 2001 attacks in the United States, which left five people dead and seventeen more ill after they opened letters containing anthrax spores.
Soil contains naturally occurring anthrax bacteria.
The WHO released a separate assessment of the most concerning outbreak, citing 684 suspected cases and four deaths in Zambia as of November 20. Nine of Zambia’s ten provinces had reported human cases of anthrax. 26 people were suspected of catching the illness in one case after consuming tainted hippopotamus meat.
