By Express News Service

ANANTAPUR : About half a dozen people have been admitted to government general hospital in Anantapur and other hospitals since Tuesday complaining of anthrax symptoms and are undergoing treatment. However, hospital authorities refused to confirm those cases as Anthrax. Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by consumption of meat from an animal infected with Anthrax bacteria. On Tuesday, three people — a couple in their thirties and a 63-year-old woman - from Chetla Morampalli village in Gorantla mandal got admitted to the hospital complaining of symptoms akin to Anthrax.

They said they developed stomach and body pains after consuming the meat of dead animals in the village. When the animal husbandry department officials enquired, they found that around 80 sheep had died due to Anthrax. As several seasonal diseases are prevalent in the district for the past couple of months, doctors are yet to confirm if the trio were infected with anthrax or not.

Meanwhile, in the last four days, three more people including a three-year-old toddler from Gorantla were admitted to hospitals with similar symptoms on Friday. When contacted, animal husbandry department joint director P Sanyasi Rao said that they have been conducting veterinary medical camps in 11 villages including Chetla Morampalli village for the past three days. Meanwhile, health department officials are maintaining that except for three suspect cases of Morampalli, no other case with similar complaints has been admitted to the hospitals.

Officials on their toes

Victims said they developed stomach and body pains after consuming the meat of dead animals in Chetla Morampalli Animal husbandry department officials found that around 80 sheep had died due to Anthrax

In the last four days, three more people including a three-year-old toddler from Gorantla were admitted to hospitals with similar symptoms on Friday