W. Java people warned about anthrax

W. Java people warned about anthrax

BANDUNG: People in West Java have been warned about the danger
of anthrax when selecting or buying goats or cattle intended for
sacrifice during this year's Idul Adha festivities, which fall on
Feb. 1, following a recent occurrence of the disease in Bogor.

West Java husbandry office head Iman Nugraha said on Tuesday
people should be wary if they found their sacrificial animals
exhibited certain phenomena such as diarrhea, fever, bleeding in
the nose, mouth or ears, or other symptoms.

Anthrax can infect people via the urine, blood or meat of
contaminated animals. The disease can cause the death of those
who contract it.

Fatimah Resmiati, a senior official at the West Java health
office, admitted his office had received a report that anthrax
had killed three people in Karadenan neighborhood, Cibinong,
Bogor.

The victims -- goat owner Salam, 40, his son Saiful Saleh, 9,
and his nephew Atim, 16, -- had positively been identified by
doctors on Jan. 7 as being infected with anthrax.

"They suffered from the disease on Dec. 27 after eating meat
from a goat that had been slaughtered two days earlier," Fatimah
said.

Salam was quoted as admitting that he slaughtered the sick
goat and distributed the meat to three families, totaling 15
people. It was not clear whether the 12 others had fallen ill.
--JP