The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to avoid co sumption of hides(pomo), smoked, and bush meat because of anthrax disease spread through animals.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the disease has spread to a few nearby countries in the sub-region of West Africa in a statement made on Monday in Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe.
The impacted countries, according to him, are Northern Ghana, which borders Burkina Faso and Togo.
According to Umakhihe, the illness that had claimed some lives is a bacterial illness that may affect both people and animals. He said that soil contains Anthrax spores that frequently infect both domestic and wild animals.
“If individuals come into contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, they could become infected with anthrax spores,” according to Umakhihe.
He noted that the illness cannot be contracted by having intimate touch with an afflicted person.
“Flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, and muscle aches,” he noted, “are signs of anthrax.”
He claimed that if it is not identified and treated in a timely manner, it will result in pneumonia, serious lung issues, breathing difficulties, shock, and death.
The permanent secretary claimed that because Anthrax is a bacterial condition, it may be treated with supportive care and antibiotics.
“Although it is largely an animal illness, due to man’s proximity to animals, Anthrax from non-immunized animals can spread to humans quite easily through the inhalation of anthrax spores.
”It could also be through consumption of contaminated or infected animal products, such as hides and skin, meat or milk,” he said.
“The public is being urged to desist from the consumption of hides (pomo), smoked meat, and bush meat as they pose a serious risk until the situation is brought under control,” he stated.
He revealed that the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau, offers yearly vaccines with anthrax spores.
He added that while diseased animals cannot be vaccinated, animals at risk can, saying that it is the simplest and least expensive method of disease prevention and control in animals.
“There is a need to intensify animal vaccinations along border States of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states, because of their proximity to Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana,” he stated.
He suggested that infected dead animals be buried deeply in the ground using equipment that had been treated with chemicals to kill Anthrax spores.
