The Upper East Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has said there is been an outbreak after four cows suspected to have died of anthrax in the region.
Suspected death from anthrax has been recorded in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region, with one dead and scores infected after eating the carcass of an anthrax-infected dead cow.
Anthrax Disease
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Dr. Emmanuel Dzotse, the Regional Director of Health Services, in a letter, said that his team has begun contact tracing of eleven people who are believed to have eaten the carcasses of the anthrax-infected cows.
“On June 1, 2023, the Regional Health Directorate received notification of two (2) suspected cases of anthrax with one death in Binduri District following the consumption of dead cattle. In all, four cattle have died in the affected community. So far eleven (11) suspected cases have been identified, and contact tracing efforts are underway in the affected community,”
Neighboring communities along Bindiru have been cautioned to be on the high alert and prevent further spread of the disease.
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Dr. Dzotse stressed that his team will intensify risk communication about the disease and its prevention, but urged community members to refrain from eating the carcasses of cattle without establishing the cause of death.
Assuring all that samples from all suspected persons will be taken for testing and will be treated with Ciprofloxacin and Doxycycline.
