Zambians warned not to eat dead wildlife after anthrax kills dozens of animals

Zambians warned not to eat dead wildlife after anthrax kills dozens of animals Authorities in Zambia have warned the public against consuming meat from wildlife after dozens of animals succumbed to an anthrax outbreak. The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit reported that 12 people became infected after eating dead wildlife in the Munyamadzi River area. Officials urged citizens to avoid eating meat from animals that died under mysterious or unknown circumstances and to report any such cases immediately. In response, the unit called for a suspension of hunting in the affected region until the full scope of the illness and associated risks can be determined. Surveillance and laboratory investigations are ongoing, and authorities have not yet established the complete geographical extent of the outbreak. Anthrax is endemic to Zambia, although human fatalities are rare. In 2023 the country experienced what officials described as an “unprecedented outbreak” that claimed four lives and spread to nine of ten provinces. A previous large‑scale episode in 2011 recorded more than 500 cases, with five deaths linked to the consumption of infected hippopotamus meat. According to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, the latest outbreak in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area of Muchinga province has resulted in the death of 46 hippos, eight elephants, five buffaloes and one crocodile since July. “The bittersweet communicative astir the deaths of this wildlife is that the carcasses ended up being eaten by the section radical - that's what they berylliam connected for their food,” said the unit's nationalist coordinator Norman Chipakupaku. No human deaths have been reported in the current incident, and the twelve infected individuals are receiving medical treatment. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which persists as spores in soil for years and can enter animals through inhalation or a cut or wound. The disease primarily affects grazing animals and often leads to sudden death. Transmission to humans occurs via contact with contaminated animal products. Public health officials have advised Zambians not to consume, sell, handle or transport meat from animals that died suddenly or are suspected of having anthrax, and they have cautioned against handling wild animals altogether.