The Sierra Leone government has confirmed an outbreak of the deadly anthrax disease, with hundreds of infected animals reportedly dead.
Officials say cases were detected in animals in the northwestern district of Port Loko, where over 200 livestock have reportedly died.
The Ministry of Agriculture says it received reports of animals dying and samples were collected and tested and the result came back positive for anthrax.
Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. The bacteria occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals. Human beings can get sick with anthrax too, if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. But the disease is treatable.
This outbreak is being handled under the One Health Platform, a collaborative approach to zoonotic diseases involving relevant government ministries, particularly the ministries of Agriculture and Health.
Officials told journalists at a press briefing on Monday that no human case had been recorded so far, and they said they were considering instituting measures to prevent spread of the disease.
Minister of Agriculture, Abu Bakarr Karim, said91 heads of cattle, 53 goats, 79 sheep were reported dead in Tinkabere Village in Kamasondo, Bakeloko Chiefdom in Port Loko.
“Government is evaluating its options to institute restrictions on the production, processing and marketing of livestock and livestock products, mainly cattle, sheep and goat,” a joint statement from the Ministries of Agriculture and Health, which was read by Minister Karim, notes.
It adds that while the comprehensive set of restrictions is being considered, the public is being urged to report any case of sick cattle, sheep or goat in their community.
The statement also urges members of the public not to try to administer treatment on any sick animal on their own.
According to the agriculture ministry, in Sierra Leone anthrax fall in the category of reemerging zoonotic diseases. It says the last outbreak of the bacterial disease was reported in the country 1994.
Anthrax exists in the form of spores, which experts say can survive for decades in the soil, until they are contracted by the right host, usually animals which either ingest them while grazing or inhale them through dust infested with the spores.
Ruminant animals infected by anthrax are often found dead with no indication that they had been ill.
Humans become infected through eating meat of infected animals or handling of products of infected animals. They can also get it by inhaling airborne anthrax spores.
“To fight this disease, one of the best options is animal vaccination,” says Minister Karim, although he didn’t indicate any immediate plan by the ministry for vaccination.
The Agric minister however declared that effective immediately, all cattle ranches and sheep and goat farms in the affected areas have been ordered to institute quarantine restrictions until the current outbreak is put under control. Other measures he said were being instituted in collaboration with other line ministries included intensified surveillance and management of anthrax cases both in humans and animals, as well as active social mobilization and sensitization of communities on anthrax prevention and control.
Movement of livestock and their products from the affected areas is also prohibited, Karim added, stressing that all livestock market in these areas are closed with immediate effect.
