11 die of anthrax in W India

Source: Xinhua | 05-11-2009 16:54

NEW DELHI, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Anthrax has killed 11 people and infected 50 others in Visakhapatnam in the south central Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the local Hindi daily Hindustan said Monday.

The Indian Health Ministry has sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh government into the outbreak of the epidemic and the Andhra government has constituted a special team to look into the case, said the report.

All patients are being treated by experts at health centers, said the report.

Meanwhile, health authorities are also receiving news that animals from the eastern state of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh were affected by the disease as well.

Anthrax is an acute disease in humans and animals caused by bacteria Bacillus anthracis, which is highly lethal in all forms.

Anthrax infects humans when they are exposed to blood and other tissues from infected animals, or are exposed to a high density of anthrax spores from an animal's fur, hide or wool. People can also be infected when they eat infected meat.

Editor:Zhang Yun