ANTHRAX CASE IN STO. NIÑO, BEING INVESTIGATED!
The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 2, Provincial Veterinary Office of Cagayan, and Municipal Agriculture Office of Sto. Niño conducted a joint investigation on October 17, 2024 after four buffaloes suddenly died in the area suspected to be related to anthrax.
According to the investigation, the deaths of buffaloes occurred between September 21 and October 7, 2024 owned by several farmers. Despite authorities’ advice to bury the bodies, some of them were slaughtered and consumed, causing health fears. Five of the farmers sustained skin sores and are currently being monitored and treated.
Soil samples and carcasses were collected for confirmatory analysis using bacterial isolation and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) at the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The dead buffaloes came out in the preliminary investigation that there is no vaccine against anthrax because there are no cases of anthrax recorded in the barangay.
In response, a massive vaccination and anthrax awareness campaign is set to conduct in Brgy. Matalao, Sto. Niño to prevent the spread of disease and to raise public knowledge.
SNPIO: Facebook
