1 killed, 4 hospitalized in suspected anthrax outbreak

Ranchi: A fresh anthrax outbreak was reported in Simdega district after one person was killed with the disease like symptoms in the wee hours on Wednesday.

The incident was reported in Koipada village under Bano police station in Bano block of the district, 127 km from Ranchi. The deceased has been identified as Salomi Kerketta (30). Four others were rushed with anthrax like symptoms in the Bano health centre. The suspected anthrax patients are Ram Madki, Jewel Madki, Samuel Madki and Sanicchar Jojo, Simdega district administration said.

The health department officials are suspecting fected cattle as the cause of outbreak. Simdega DC Vijay Kumar confirmed the development.

Though Simdega civil surgeon Eizajuddin Ashraf could not be contacted, a doctor in the health facility said the specimens from the suspected anthrax patients and the deceased has been collected and is being sent to the microbiology laboratory of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) in Ranchi.

However, the state integrated disease surveillance program (IDSP), the nodal monitoring wing for contagious diseases, did not officially confirm any anthrax incident. "Any official communication from the Simdega civil surgeon is yet to reach us," state nodal officer IDSP Ramesh Prasad said on Wednesday evening.

If confirmed, the latest casualty will take the anthrax death toll in Simdega to five since September 2014. As many as 110 people have been tested positive in two years. It is the third anthrax outbreak reported in Simdega since April this year.

Kumar said, "The health department has warned us of possible outbreaks at this time of the year. We are continuing with our awareness campaign and vaccination of domesticate livestock".

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