By Fatima Muraina
|
Ondo state government has commenced sensitization of stakeholders on the outbreak of Anthrax disease which has been confirmed in Niger state.
The Director of Veterinary Services department of the Ondo state Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Adebayo Ehinmowo in an interview with The Hope, said the attempt was to alert Ondo citizens about the deadly disease which is zenotic and could be spread from animals to man.
He said the disease is caused by Bacillus Anthracis which affects animals like sheep, goats, cattles, pigs, camels and horses and could also spread to humans who have contact with affected animals through processing them for food.
Ehinmowo hinted that animals get infected when they feed or come in contact with the grasses that contained the spores from sneezed affected animals which causes the bacteria of the infection that last long on the grasses.
The disease, he further explained can affect human beings in three major ways when such animals are being butchered which could be inhaled during the process, when not properly cooked and becoming a kind of food poisoning and through the skin of affected animals for meat consumption.
According to him, the human to human transmission is very rare, but that can be got from the skin of an animal.
He called on the populace to avoid processing meat from sick and mostly on dead animals whom he observed may have been infected with the diseases.
While saying that the state has commenced drastic sensitization of stakeholders like the butchers, cattle breeders, cattle traders, including the nomads and general public, Ehinmowo discourages cattle breeders from gracing the animals from other states.
Also speaking on the situation, the Deputy Director of Veterinary Services , Dr Adegboyega Obadua stated that the department will commence enforcement on the use of nose mask, handgloves and protective clothings during meat processing for consumption as he added the importance of the use of spectacles.
Obadua said the department will also call the notice of the Amotekun for surveillance in the forest and farm sites to curb unnecessary entrance of cattle from other states while it warn butchers to stop importation of cows till further notice.
