Doctors warn of possible outbreak in C. Java<\/p>\n
Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Semarang<\/p>\n
Doctors are warning that there could be an anthrax outbreak in
\nseveral regencies in Central Java after one villager recently
\ndied in the town of Boyolali.<\/p>\n
Head of the provincial health office Krishnajaya said on
\nMonday evening that the infectious disease of cattle could flare
\nup in some subdistricts in Boyolali, Demak and Semarang.<\/p>\n
Anthrax claimed the life of Rahmat Widodo, a 14-year-old boy
\nfrom Jemowo village in Musuk subdistrict.<\/p>\n
He died at Boyolali's Pandan Arang public hospital on Feb. 26
\nafter being infected with anthrax bacillus, Krishnajaya said.<\/p>\n
He said the cause of Rahmat's death was determined last
\nSaturday when the Semarang health laboratory office announced the
\nresult of its test on the victim's blood sample.<\/p>\n
\"A health team from Boyolali has conducted an investigation at
\nthe location, where the victim lived, and its surroundings but so
\nfar there is no indication of an anthrax outbreak there,\"
\nKrishnajaya said.<\/p>\n
He explained that the team had interviewed Rahmat's neighbors
\nand looked into a number of farm animals, particularly cattle, at
\nthe village of Jemowo.<\/p>\n
The doctor was not sure how the dead victim had been infected
\nwith the disease.<\/p>\n
But he underlined that several days before his death, Rahmat
\nhad eaten bakso (soup with meatballs) he bought from a food stall
\nnear the hospital.<\/p>\n
Two months before Rahmat died, a goat was found dead near the
\nvictim's house, but the cause of its death remains unknown,
\nKrishnajaya added.<\/p>\n
He said anthrax was believed to have attacked Rahmat's
\ndigestive tract, resulting in high fever, convulsions, vomiting,
\nstomach cramps and respiratory problems.<\/p>\n
Rahmat's death was categorized as an \"extraordinary case\" as
\nthe outbreak of the disease was not detected in his subdistrict,
\nKrishnajaya said.<\/p>\n
He said that in Boyolali, anthrax bacillus could be found in
\nat least four subdistricts of Ampel, Teras, Mojosongo and Cepogo.<\/p>\n
Data from Krishnajaya's office shows that at least 126 cases
\nof anthrax were found, with 20 fatalities in the 1990-2001
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
At least 18 of the deaths were recorded in 1990 alone from 90
\ncases in Teras.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/doctors-warn-of-possible-outbreak-in-c-java-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}