AFTER a man died of anthrax infection in Mukdahan province last Wednesday (Apr. 30) another patient was confirmed to have contracted the disease today (May 3) raising the total undergoing treatment to three, Naewna newspaper said this evening.
There is a total of 638 people at risk of catching this disease including 36 butchers, 472 raw meat eaters and 130 others who came into contact with butchers and all have been given preventive medication.
Mr. Adichat Chukamsaat, a livestock officer at Don Tan district, Mukdahan province, said disease control has been imposed in a radius of five kilometres from the point where cows were slaughtered and officials have injected antibiotics to 124 cattle in risk areas.
A total of 1,222 cattle need to be vaccinated with this to be completed today.
In addition, disinfectant has been sprayed in all risk areas. Beef and pork samples from the refrigerator of the deceased have been sent to the Veterinary Research and Development Centre in the Upper Northeast for analysis and the result was due this afternoon.
Mr. Narong Rattanatraiwong, head of the Mukdahan Animal Quarantine Checkpoint, said the Department of Livestock Development’s measures are in place with cattle quarantined and checked for disease. They are vaccinated either at these pens or private ones which are inspected before a permit is issued to move the cattle to the checkpoint then exported.
At neighbouring Nakhon Phanom province, Mr. Samart Onsongchan, the provincial livestock officer, ordered stricter measures in overseeing the export of cattle to Vietnam. On top of procedural checks of permits and vaccination certificates, a second test is being carried out to guarantee that the cattle being exported are definitely free of anthrax.
Even so, it was reported that the Laotian government will start suspending requests to pass through their country, with this only awaiting an official announcement.
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Anthrax control operation in Mukdahan province. Photos: Naewna
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