The DA reported that two of the four infected carabaos in Cagayan were slaughtered and sold, with the contaminated meat also reaching Barangay Annafatan in Amulung town.
SOME carabaos in Cagayan province have been infected with anthrax, as confirmed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday.
Anthrax is a disease transmissible from animals to humans, and that dozens of people have been exposed, with some now isolated after manifesting skin lesions.
The DA regional field office in Cagayan Valley made the announcement after local authorities confirmed on Dec. 16 that around four carabaos in Barangay Calassitan, Sto. Niño town died due to the disease.
In a statement Friday evening, the Department of Health (DOH) said only three carabaos out of 12 total suspect cases reported as of Dec. 22 tested positive for anthrax after further verification.
According to Dr. Manuel Galang Jr., a veterinarian at the DA, anthrax typically affects ruminants such as carabaos, cows, sheep, and goats. Symptoms among animals include sudden death, breathing difficulty, fever, seizures, heart complications, bleeding, and postmortem lesions.
Galang said humans can also get the disease from infected animals through skin contact, digestion, or inhalation.
The DA reported that two of the four infected carabaos in Cagayan were slaughtered and sold, with the contaminated meat also reaching Barangay Annafatan in Amulung town.
Upon verification with the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, the DOH confirmed that there were 125 people who consumed the meat of two “sick and dying” carabaos.
Among them, 26 showed signs and symptoms of human infection of anthrax and were provided medication. The DOH added that all of the cases have been tagged as recovered as of Dec. 22.
“Paltos o bukol na nangangati, skin sore sa mukha, leeg, braso at mga kamay, lagnat, chills, pagkahilo, sakit ng ulo, pananakit ng katawan, sore throat, pamamaga ng leeg o glands, pananakit ng tiyan, pagsusuka, diarrhea at iba pa ang mga sintomas ng human infection,” he explained.
