A team of doctors sent by the State health department to control the outbreak of deadly anthrax in villages under Kolebira block of Simdega district was able to contain the situation on Saturday.The doctors collected blood samples of the suspected patients and distributed medicines among others.
Two persons named K Tete (27) and V Tete (45) were suspected to be victims of the disease after consuming dead livestock, while 15 persons were reported ill in Kolebira area on Friday. Bandarchuwa village of the block is the worst affected from both the deaths were reported.
The blood samples of 11 affected persons out of the 15 persons were taken today by the medical team headed by state government’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) Director Dr Ramesh Prasad. The IDSP Director accompanied by Epidemiologist Praveen Kumar Karn, Microbiologist Anjali Singh and a lab Technician of RIMS reached the spot on Saturday morning.
“The collected blood samples will be sent to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for observation. We can then confirm whether it was due to anthrax or some other factors,” said Simdega district’s Civil Surgeon Dr B Minz.
Meanwhile, Health Services Director-in-Chief Dr Sumant Mishra informed adequate measures are being taken to control the outbreak.
“The symptoms of anthrax are of three types. The first is Pulmonary causing respiratory infections. Gastrointestinal and skin infections are other signs of the disease. Since the disease is visible, we suspect it a skin infection,” he said.
He further added that medicines preventing anthrax were distributed among the villagers by the medical team, Kolebira Block Development Officer (BDO) Santosh Garg and Civil Surgeon Dr B Minz. Dr Minz told that a patient found with symptoms of anthrax is prescribed to take a dosage of tablet Cipro (500 mg) and Doxycycline (100 mg) every morning and evening for a period of one week.
Also, he said, “All the affected persons hail from various tribal groups. They had eaten dead animals. We are alerting the entire village not to consume such animals.” Pointing on the steps taken for the safety of animals, Mishra said the concerned district officials including Garg and Dr Minz are providing vaccination against anthrax to all the animals of the Kolebira block.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary of Health K Vidyasagar said the situation was under control. “A medical camp is set up in a panchayat bhawan. Medicines are given to affected and unaffected persons. The collected blood samples have been sent for testing,” he maintained.
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are poisonous, and it affects mostly animals.