The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has alerted Nigerians to the outbreak of Anthrax, a zoonotic disease, in Zamfara State.
Director, Information and Public Relations Department in the ministry, Ben Goong, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said that the outbreak occurred in a farm in Zamfara.
Anthrax is an infection caused by bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which can affect warm-blooded animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses and wildlife, as well as humans with potential high morbidity and mortality.
The disease could be spread through contact with the bacterium’s spores which often appear in infectious animal products or by-products. Its symptoms include fever, coughing, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes, headaches, itching as well as bleeding from major openings.
Goong called on stakeholders, as well as States bordering Zamfara, to take immediate steps to prevent further spread of the disease. He urged stakeholders to heighten vigilance and pro-active measures to mitigate risks associated with the disease.
“While Anthrax is preventable through coordinated efforts such as risk assessment, surveys and ring vaccination of susceptible animals in high-risk areas, prompt detection and response are critical to containing its spread.
“The ministry remains committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure a swift and effective response”, he stated.
