World
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Anthrax kills 46 hippos in Zambia wildlife area
BBC News··14 Sept
Zambian authorities warned people not to eat meat from dead wildlife after anthrax killed dozens of animals in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area. Since July, officials reported 46 hippos, eight elephants, five buffaloes and one crocodile dead. Twelve people were infected after eating carcasses and are being treated. No human deaths have been reported so far.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Twelve people in the Munyamadzi River area are receiving treatment after eating dead wildlife.
- Authorities urge the public not to eat animals that die naturally or from unknown causes.
- Hunting in the affected area should be suspended until risks are assessed, officials said.
What's Happening
- Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit coordinator Norman Chipakupaku said locals ate the carcasses.
- Surveillance and laboratory investigations are continuing to map the outbreak.
- Anthrax is endemic in Zambia, but human deaths are uncommon.
Earlier Outbreaks
- A 2023 outbreak killed four people and reached nine of 10 provinces.
- In 2011, more than 500 cases were reported and five people died after eating infected hippo meat.
- Anthrax spores can persist in soil and infect grazing animals through cuts or inhalation.
all-news
