BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Health authorities in Cagayan are investigating possible cases of human anthrax infection following reports that two residents in Sto. Niño town have contracted the disease.
The patients reportedly fell ill after eating carabao meat infected with the bacteria bacilus anthracis.
Anthrax is fatal to livestock and occasionally to humans.
Symptoms of the infection include swollen lymph nodes, itchy blisters or bumps and sores with black center.
The sores may appear in the face, neck, arms or hands.
Fatal symptoms include flu-like fever, chest discomfort, excessive sweating and body pains.
Humans can be infected by consuming meat of animals infected with anthrax.
The Cagayan health office is not ruling out the possibility that more people contracted the disease.
Local health officials cited reports that a majority of residents bought the meat of the infected carabao.
Data showed that in December 2022, there were 12 suspected cases of human anthrax infection in Cagayan.
Of the 12, three were confirmed by the Department of Health.
Hog cholera recurs in Negros
Hog repopulation in San Enrique, Negros Occidental has been halted due to recurrence of hog cholera, town Mayor Jilson Tubillara said yesterday.
Tubillara said he received reports about deaths of hog sentinels from backyard hog raisers.
San Enrique was among local government units in the province that were hit hard by hog cholera last year, with 99 percent of its hog population reported to have died.
While laboratory results confirmed that African swine fever was not the cause of hog fatalities, Tubillara said the symptoms of hog cholera are similar to ASF.
Classical swine fever or hog cholera is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild swine.
Tubillara said the municipal government has prepared other livelihood opportunities for affected hog raisers.
He said the town is sourcing its pork supply from the nearby municipality of Cauayan.
As of Oct. 2, the Bureau of Animal Industry reported active ASF cases in two barangays in Bago City. – Gilbert Bayoran