Dasmantapur: A person died while two others were reportedly affected in a suspected breakout of anthrax at Munda Jhola village under this block in Koraput district Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Betru Saunta while the affected were Sukiya Saunta (40) and Siri Saunta (45) of the same village. The incident triggered panic in the village.
Locals claimed that Betru’s hands and legs swelled with blisters all over his body.
He suffered severe pain and arson and succumbed to the disease. Soon, the disease affected Betru’s neighbours Sukiya and Siri, locals said.
Family members admitted them to the local community health centre (CHC) after blisters were seen on their bodies. They experienced itching on their body parts which soon led to blisters and later their limbs started swelling.
They underwent treatment and their condition remained critical while this report came in.
Earlier, the disease had claimed many lives in the neighbouring K Donda Bado village. Many cattle also lost their lives due to the disease, locals said. They feared that the disease would spread to nearby villages as no members from a medical team had visited the village after the breakout of the disease.
Locals demanded that a medical team visit the village and administer necessary vaccines and preventive medicines. “A medical team will visit the village and take necessary steps,” said CHC officer Amita Tiga, adding that the locals should refrain from eating meat of dead animals and birds. She also asked locals not to allow their cattle to graze until the disease was tackled. PNN
