Two persons have died in the last three days and 10 others are in critical condition after being afflicted with anthrax at Dabuguda village in Renga panchayat under Kashipur block in Rayagada district.
The deceased were identified as Somnath Nayak and Jaimati Jhadia, reports said.
The reason behind the spread of the disease is not known yet.
A medical team from the Kashipur Community Health Centre has rushed to Dabuguda. The team which is camping at the village is treating the afflicted people.
Anthrax is a rare disease caused by the spores of the bacterium Bacillus Anthracis. It causes enlargement of the spleen and is also known as spleen fever or ‘wool sorter’s disease’. The bacterium is transmitted from animals to humans and is caused by eating rotten meat, according to experts.