The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has alerted Nigerians to the outbreak of Anthrax disease in neighbouring countries in West Africa.
The alert was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe.
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According to the statement, the outbreak of Anthrax is currently ravaging Northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso and Togo.
The ministry called for animal vaccination in Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States, all states on Nigeria’s long western border.
The ministry also urged Nigerians to stop consumption of hides (pomo), smoked meat and bush meat over outbreak of Anthrax in some neighbouring countries.
Ghanaian Authorities had on Tuesday, June 6, confirmed the outbreak of anthrax in the northern parts of the country
The West African country’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the confirmation statement said it had received confirmation that one of the samples sent from 11 persons in the Binduri district in the Upper East Region tested positive.
Anthrax is primarily a zoonotic disease in herbivores caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax spores are naturally found in the soil and commonly affect domestic and wild animals.
Humans generally acquire the disease directly or indirectly from infected animals, or through occupational exposure to infected or contaminated animal products.
Anthrax in humans is not generally regarded as contagious, although rare records of person-to-person transmission exist. Anthrax bacteria can survive in the environment for decades by forming spores. In its most common natural form called cutaneous anthrax (over 95% of cases), it creates dark sores on the skin, from which it derives its name, after the Greek word for coal.
Signs of Anthrax are flu- like symptoms such as cough, fever, muscle aches and if not diagnosed and treated early, lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock and death.
Being a bacterial disease, it responds to treatment with antibiotics and supportive therapy.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
