10 animals dead as anthrax returns to Maharashtra

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The first confirmed anthrax death was reported in Parbhani towards March-end. A sample for testing was sent to the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani, on March 28. On March 30, results confirmed the presence of the Anthrax bacterium.

Dr Sunil Lahane, assistant commissioner (disease control) at the Animal Husbandry Commissionerate, said the current outbreak was confirmed in Bharaswada taluka. “Until Wednesday, 10 confirmed cases of death due to the infection were reported from the area,” he said. Local people claimed the toll was much higher, with some putting the figure at 150.

Most of the deaths have been reported from herds kept by sheep breeders. Dr Lahane said as soon as the tests confirmed anthrax, the district animal husbandry department started vaccinating animals. “Till date, 585 animals — 416 sheep and 169 goats — have been vaccinated,” he said. Carcasses of infected animals have been disposed of as per procedure, he said. Ample vaccine stock is available and vaccinations would be carried out in a 5-km radius of the village to minimise spread of the infection, he said.

As anthrax spreads among animals through spores that remain in the soil, district authorities have carried out incineration in the area as well. Parbhani has 1,59,538 small animals, including 25,902 sheep and 1,33,636 goats.

In 2010-11, Osmanabad had reported an outbreak of the disease, which led to the death of eight animals. In 2011-12, 119 animals died in an outbreak in Pune, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar and Beed. But since 2011, no anthrax case has been reported in Maharashtra. Parbhani has witnessed an anthrax outbreak for the first time.