Anthrax outbreak: Fresh cases confirmed in two more districts of Upper East Region
The Upper East regional public health emergency management committee has said fresh cases of anthrax have been confirmed in two more districts.
The latest districts to record the outbreak are Talensi district where there was a suspected anthrax death of a cattle at Duusi and in the Bolgatanga municipality where a sheep died in the same circumstances.
This brings the number of districts battling the outbreak since it first broke out in Binduri and Bawku West districts to four, as of Wednesday (7 June).
At a press conference on Wednesday (7 June), the health committee said it has had to review the response measures to curb the spread of the disease following the detection of fresh cases in the two additional areas.
The health committee, therefore, announced an extension of the ban placed on the movement of livestock, particularly cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys and their products, to cover the whole region.
“Similarly, the ban on the slaughtering, sale and consumption of meat and meat products of the above-stated animals is still being enforced in the entire region,” its chair, Stephen Yakubu said.
The health committee tasked the security agencies, municipal and district chief executives, and environmental and veterinary officers in all municipalities and districts to ensure strict adherence to the directives.
The health committee also called on the media to be circumspect in their reportage by speaking to the right sources for information on the anthrax outbreak.
It implored the media to use their platforms for the education of the general public on the causes, and symptoms of the disease and the appropriate quarters to report suspected cases to.
