BY WESWA RONNIE
Namisindwa has today been declared free from Anthrax district after four months of quarantine.
Anthrax is a rare and potentially fatal bacterial disease that most commonly affects the skin and tends to affect hoofed animals and humans
It is when conditions become favorable that the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria and the disease is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracic; the spore-forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.
Although there are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax, people get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals, and more recently, intentional release of spores.
Anthrax hit Namisindwa district and her neighbors Manafwa and Bududa districts which forced health authorities from the three districts to declare a quarantine of animals and their products from being eaten and sold outside the districts.
Mr. David Mityelo the Namisindwa district production officer while speaking to this reporter said during quarantine as a district they put much emphasis on vaccination of all animals against Anthrax and that this was done well.
“And I am sure by now we have covered 90% of animal vaccination in the district and it has now been three months without registering any suspected cases of Anthrax in the district, so we now declare Namisindwa district Anthrax free district today,” said Mr. Mityelo.
Mr. Mityelo further said the CAO Mr. Franco Olabor has written to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and animal husbandry to grant them permission to lift up the quarantine this month such that people can sell and eat meat, milk, and other animal products.
The RDC Namisindwa Mr. Fredrick Bangu urged the public to continue obeying the quarantine laws until the district will completely be able to stop more outbreaks of the disease. Ends
About Anthrax
Anthrax is a rare and potentially fatal bacterial disease. The infectious agent is Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that most commonly occurs in wild and domesticated animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses and deer. Bacillus anthracis bacteria form spores, which are tough shells that help the microbes survive unsuitable conditions.
Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock which can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected.
