Back to Headlines

Seven hospitalised with Anthrax in Karnataka
by KG Vasuki

      Bangalore: Seven persons from Devaganahalli village in Karnataka's Hunsur district have been admitted to hospital with Anthrax symptoms. According to sources in the health department, more than 180 people of a particular community of Devaganahalli, adjoining the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, 200 kms Bangalore, had consumed meat of a dead cow, and many of them fell ill after a week. Talking to ANI here yesterday, the Health Minister of Karnataka, R Ashok, said that the meat sample confirmed that the dead cow had contracted Anthrax and seven persons have been admitted to hospital. The health department sources said that the dead cow must have got the deadly Anthrax bacteria from the animals in the forest. According to Ashok, the State Government has taken all precautionary measures to prevent Anthrax spreading to other villages. A team of experts has also been constituted to monitor the situation. The government has also banned slaughter of animals in and around Hunsur taluk as a preventive measure. It may be recalled that in 1999, one person had died in Karnataka due to Anthrax.