NALGONDA: Three sheep died in Kattangoor mandal headquarters on Saturday. On receiving the information, animal husbandry officials rushed to spot and confirmed that the sheeps died of Anthrax disease.
District Animal Husbandry joint director Ch Ramesh told the Express that the department has sent four special teams to vaccinate the livestock in the radius of five kilometers from Kattangoor mandal headquarters. It would take three days for the vaccination, he said.
It also came to light that some people ate the meat of the dead sheep. The officials, however, said that there is no danger to them, however the officer warned the people to avoid eating sheep meat for few days to avoid any such incidents.
Anthrax is a rare but serious illness caused by a spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax mainly affects livestock. Humans can also get infected through direct or indirect contact with sick animals.
According to the officials, there’s no evidence that anthrax is transmitted from person to person, but it’s possible that anthrax skin lesions may be contagious through direct contact. It has been noted that usually, anthrax bacteria enters the body through a wound in the skin. One can also become infected by eating contaminated meat or inhaling the spores, added the officials.