Two people dead in suspected anthrax outbreak in Meru

Two people have died from a suspected outbreak of anthrax at Muthara in Tigania East, Meru County.

Wednesday, County Health Executive Meshack Mutuma and Muthara hospital’s Dr Geoffrey Koome said the disease affected residents of Muthara, Mula, Mariara and Karama areas.

Mr Mutuma said they had taken samples from the affected for analysis to establish the disease.

Dr Koome said 10 people were confirmed to have anthrax.

Some patients had been referred to the Meru Level Five Hospital.

“The two who died had been referred to the Meru Level Five hospital,” he said.

Three other patients were still undergoing treatment at Muthara hospital.

“But there are others who have been treated and released to go home. Those who came to the hospital today say they had eaten meat from a dead animal,” Koome revealed.

He said those who checked into the facility exhibited symptoms of anthrax and were put under appropriate medication, even as they await results of the tests.

Mutuma said some of the patients had spores on the skin, one of the symptoms of an attack of anthrax.

He appealed to any person suspecting he had the disease to seek treatment without delay.

Koome said they had stocked enough drugs to treat the anthrax cases.

He said symptoms included inflammation of the skin, difficulty in breathing and unexplained wounds.