The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Friday of a large anthrax outbreak, which has been ravaging Zambia since May.
The International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point of Zambia told WHO of the outbreak on November 1, 2023, six months after the first human cases of anthrax were confirmed in the African nation. The first case was reported May 5 in the Dengeza Health Post in the Sinazongwe District, at a time when wildlife was dying en masse of an unknown cause in the same area.
By June, human and animal cases of anthrax were spreading throughout the country, particularly in veterinary camps, WHO noted. At least 26 humans developed the infection after eating wild hippopotamus.
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*slow clap* yeah duh I told y’all this a week or more ago… I’m already prepping.
Are you? https://t.co/zruxBMVYBj
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) April 18, 2023
In November, the total number of suspected human cases, including at least four known deaths, reached 684. And cases were reported across nine of Zambia’s ten provinces. This is the first major outbreak of the infection since 2011, which saw 511 suspected cases. (RELATED: Horrifying Study Suggests Fungal Disease Outbreaks Will Become More Common In Humans)
Anthrax is caused by spore-forming bacteria, which is transmissible through animals to humans. It typically affects animals like cows, goats and sheep, and rarely spreads from animal to animal, human to human, WHO continued. Victims of anthrax exposure often break out in a significant skin rash, followed by headaches, muscle aches and fever.
In some cases, gastrointestinal anthrax causes symptoms similar to food poisoning, which gets gradually worse with time. Vaccines are available for both humans and animals, but are in short supply.