Gov't monitoring after anthrax cases confirmed, recovered in Cagayan

The Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health is overseeing the situation after the Department of Health confirmed cases of anthrax in Cagayan.

According to the DOH, there were 12 suspect cases reported as of December 22, 2022 and three tested positive for bacillus anthracis via PCR.

Cases monitored by the regional health units as of December 22 have all been tagged as recovered.

Regional units of both the DOH and the Department of Agriculture reported a number of carabaos, which got sick and died after exhibiting symptoms of anthrax.

Individuals have also been reported to have consumed meat of the sick carabaos.

“The Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health is overseeing the situation and coordination with the concerned National Government Agencies,” the DOH said in a Viber message to reporters.

“The Department of Agriculture, through its local offices, immediately conducted investigations amongst the infected carabaos,” it added.

“Rest assured that the DOH, together with other IACEH member agencies, shall continuously monitor the situation and implement the necessary interventions to prevent and/or control the increase in cases,” the DOH said.

The DOH said the “health event that happened in Cagayan [was] due to exposure to infected animals and NOT connected to any act of terrorism.”

The health department said anthrax is a bacteria commonly found in soil.

"It is also a zoonotic disease that is transmitted from animal to human usually via direct skin contact or consumption of contaminated food or drink. You can also be infected through inhalation of its spores," the DOH said.

"To prevent exposure to anthrax, the Department encourages safety precautions to be followed when handling animal products. Immediately seek medical attention should an individual become exposed to infected animals or have consumed contaminated food or drink," it added.

The DOH said there were 125 individuals who consumed meat of two sick and dying carabaos butchered on November 13 and 16, 2022.

Twenty-six of them manifested with fever, upset stomach, nausea, headache, and itchy skin lesions at the RHU Sto. Nino on November 24, 2022 and were provided medications.

On November 24, 2022, the RHU and municipal agriculture office conducted initial investigation and reported only 7 cases who fit the suspect anthrax case definition out of the 26 individuals who developed signs and symptoms.

On December 7 to 9, 2022, an additional three carabaos died and were buried.

From December 9 to 19, 2022, there were 5 additional suspect cases. —NB, GMA Integrated News