Anthrax under control

The anthrax infection in humans is low now as no new case was reported in last three weeks, said director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Dr Mahmudur Rahman yesterday.
“Awareness among people has helped a lot to keep the spread of anthrax under control,” Dr Rahman told reporters at IEDCR in the capital referring to surveillance reports received from the civil surgeons and officials concerned from 471 upazilas.
"Now, there is no problem in slaughtering the fit cattle during the upcoming Eid-ul Azha", he said.
Dr Rahman said people should notice skin and other parts of cattle before slaughtering them as the symptoms of anthrax infection become visible within a few hours to four days before the animal dies.
IEDCR reported 607 people have been iffected so far in the disease in 12 districts since August 18 while none died of the disease.
He recommended four-step measure to protect anthrax situation -- vaccination for the cattle, awareness among people, ensuring that infected cattle are not being slaughtered and seeing a doctor when a person gets infected.
Dr Mushtuq Husain, senior scientific officer of IEDCR and Patricia Portela De Souza, communication for development specialist of Unicef were present at the occasion.