New suspected Anthrax cases were registered in Jur River County of Western Bahr el Ghazal, after five patients, mainly children, were admitted at Wau Teaching Hospital on Monday with swellings in skin, neck and head.
Anthrax is a common disease shared between animals and humans mainly contracted from dead animals through their meat or grazing on infected grass, Voice of Hope reported.Director General of State Ministry of Health Martin Mayen said the disease is treatable with strong antibiotics, although the treatment is very expensive and long.
He said since people cannot afford the treatment it was better to prevent against Anthrax by involving MPs, chiefs, women and youths.
Dr Mayen urged the communities to burn bleeding animals that died suddenly.
Last year, 153 Anthrax cases treated at the hospital and more than 400 at home.
Dr Mayen said 2012 registered the highest number of cases of Anthrax.
In 2011, there were only 90 registered cases.
Health practitioners reported that the disease is common in rural areas where cows, goats and sheep are kept.
Samples of skin tissue were taken from infected patients and sent to Nairobi-Kenya.
Lab tests confirmed an Anthrax type that affects the skin with big swellings.
Jur River County was severely hit by the disease.