Bolgatanga, April 12, GNA - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in the Upper East Region has banned the movement of live animals and meat out of the Wuriyanga area in the Garu-Tempane district, following an outbreak of anthrax in which one person died and six others hospitalised. The people in the affected area, including butchers have also be advised not to consume meat of ruminants as mass vaccination of animals begins on Monday against the disease, Mr Roy Ayariga, Regional Director of MOFA told the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga. He urged livestock owners to seek the services of veterinary officers when their animals fall ill or die suddenly to avoid unsuspected spread of the disease.

Anthrax is an infectious hemorrhagic disease of wild and domesticated animals, especially cattle and sheep, which is caused by bacillus germs and can be transmitted to humans. The germ thrives in moist soil and the animals easily pick it when they feed. Mr Ayariga said the first signs of the deadly disease manifested at Wuriyanga, where seven people got afflicted after consuming part of a bull carcass. He said agriculture officers had been deployed to sensitize the people to prepare their animals for vaccination. He explained that anthrax vaccinations were routinely done at the onset of the rains in May and that early signs of the disease were detected just as the Ministry was about to embark on the exercise.