The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, on Monday, 17th July, 2023, confirmed the outbreak of Anthrax disease in Nigeria.
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis.
This bacterial illness caused by rob-shaped bacteria, primarily affects animals, but can infect human through direct contact with an infected animal or by inhaling spores.
Anthrax spores can enter someone’s body and cause disease in humans bodies, it becomes activated and spread out when it spores in the body
This was recorded to be the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the West Africa outbreak in Ghana in June 2023.
Dr Ernest Umakhihe the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, signed a statement that contains ‘CONFIRMATION OF FIRST ANTHRAX CASE IN NIGERIA’.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Announcing the outbreak of the disease, in a statement released on Monday, 17th July 2023, said the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria on Friday, July 14, 2023, was notified of animals exhibiting symptoms of a suspected case of anthrax in a farm in Suleja, Niger State.
The case was in a multi-specie animal farm comprising of cattle, sheep and goats located at Gajiri, along Abuja-Kaduna expressway Suleja LGA Niger State, where some of the animals had symptoms including oozing of blood from their body openings — anus, nose, eyes and ears.
Dr Ernest Umakhihe
Further investigation is ongoing to trace the source of the infection and to identify the spread to other farms and humans, he further stated.
Story: Rita Blus