Doraguda Anthrax outbreak: AP government to send samples to Gwalior lab

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh government has decided to send samples of seven sick children to Gwalior Lab to confirm Anthrax infection. Seven tribal children of Doragadu village under Munchingiput Mandal fell ill after consuming the meat of dead cattle ten days ago

The officials have sent the samples to King George Hospital in Vizag city for verification.

Head of Microbiology Department, Andhra Medical College, Kamala, said that they will conduct screening tests on the samples and will send the samples to the DRDE Laboratory in Gwalior for confirmation, she added. Additional District Medical and Health Officer of ASR district, Dr. Leela Prasad said that the condition of the seven children is stable and there is no need to worry. The health teams will visit the village to take stock of the situation.

A few years ago, there were suspected cases of Anthrax at Panasaputtu village under Hukumpeta Mandal in ASR District. However, the doctors of the KGH had confirmed that the potential Anthrax in the tribals of the village, who were admitted to the hospital with symptoms, was a false alarm.

Medical and health department officials said there were incidents of people suffering from the suspected anthrax (skin allergy with dark spots on their hands). However, they didn't find any evidence of anthrax after they got reports from the Veterinary Biological Research Institute, Hyderabad, they added.