Zimbabwe reports 18 cases in fresh anthrax outbreak

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – The case of infectious anthrax has risen in Zimbabwe's northwestern province of Mashonaland, with health ministry teams currently treating 18 patients who ate infected carcasses, local media reported on Monday.

The country’s Health and Child Care Ministry is treating 18 anthrax cases in eight villages in Mashonaland province's Sanyati town, the Zimbabwe Herald reported.

Anthrax is a rare but serious illness caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming bacterium. Anthrax primarily infects livestock and wild animals. Humans can get infected through direct or indirect contact with diseased animals.

The first case of anthrax was reported in October of last year, it added.

All systems have been activated since then, the media outlet reported, citing Provincial Medical Director Dr. Celestino Dhege.

He added that no positive or suspected cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours and that all 18 suspected cases had a 100% recovery rate.

“All cases are being managed according to the current Essential Medicines List for Zimbabwe (EDLIZ), treatment protocols, and anthrax control guidelines of Zimbabwe and the World Health Organization at our health facilities, namely Sanyati Hospital, Sanyati ARDA, and Geja rural health clinic,” Dr. Dhege was quoted as saying by the Zimbabwe Herald.

Zimbabwe experienced the world's largest human anthrax outbreak between 1978 and 1980, with over 10,700 cases and 200 deaths.

Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, the disease has become endemic in the southern African landlocked country of slightly less than 17 million people.