495 people infected with anthrax in 9 districts

In all 495 anthrax infected people were detected in nine districts across the country until Monday, including 16 new patients identified in last 72 hours, seven of them in Rajshahi district, said Mahmudur Rahman, the director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Diseases Control and Research.

The other districts where people were detected with the infection, he said, were Pabna, Sirajgaj, Kushtia, Tangail, Meherpur, Manikganj, Shthkhira and Lalmonirhat.
At least six anthrax infected cows died in four villages in Aditmari and Lalmonirhat sadar upazilas in Lalmonirhat district on Sunday, district livestock officials said.
New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reports quoting veterinary surgeon at the district livestock office Bazlur Rahman that four of the infected cows died at Mohistoli, a village in Aditmari upazila and two more cows died at Baro Basuroya, a village in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.
Bazlur Rahman said that treatment of at least 3,000 cows, suspected to be infected in 20 villages in three upazilas of the district, was going on.
The district livestock officer, Abu Hossain Sarker, said that the treatment of infected cows was delayed due to shortage of vaccines.
‘We have written to the ministry requesting for the needed vaccines,’ he said.
A handout issued by the Press Information Department on September 9 said the anthrax situation was under control with no new report of fresh cattle infection.
As of September 9, the handout estimated the number of infected cows at 39 and of goats at 55.
The handout said that the cattle were being vaccinated in all risky areas and measures were taken for quick examination whenever cows or goats fell sick.
‘There is no risk in taking meat or milk of healthy cows or goats,’ said the handout out.
The government requested the media to verify from the local Livestock Resources Department any news of anthrax infection or deaths of cattle before disseminating such news.