Of The 26 Samples, 12 Residents Of Gunung Kidul Are Positive For Anthrax

Head of the Gunung Kidul Health Service, Dewi Irawaty. (ANTARA/Sutarmi)

GUNUNG KIDUL - The Health Office of Gunung Kidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, stated that according to the results of the examination there were 12 residents of Gunung Kidul who were attacked by anthrax, a disease that is transmitted to humans through direct contact with animals infected with Bacillus Anthracis bacteria.

"Of the 26 samples we sent, only 12 were positive for anthrax, while the others were negative", said Head of the Gunung Kidul District Health Office, Dewi Irawaty, in Gunung Kidul, as reported by Antara on Wednesday, February 9.

Dewi explained that the residents affected by anthrax came from two sub-districts that were included in the anthrax red zone, namely Gedangsari and Ponjong Districts.

She detailed that seven residents who were stricken with anthrax were from Gedangsari District and five others were from Ponjong District.

Dewi said that health workers at the Puskesmas (public health center) located in the anthrax red zone continued to monitor to find residents who were experiencing symptoms of anthrax.

Symptoms of anthrax include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, no appetite, increased body temperature, vomiting mixed with blood, black stools, severe stomach pain, and ulcers appearing on the skin after consuming or processing the meat of sick animals.

"Surveillance is still being carried out. We hope that anthrax cases will not develop", said Dewi.

Dewi explained that anthrax is a zoonotic disease, a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans.

"Anthrax prevention remains the behavior of residents, to be selective in choosing fresh meat and make sure it is from healthy animals", she said.

Head of Animal Health Division of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Office of Gunung Kidul, Retno Widyastuti, urged residents to immediately bury livestock such as cows and goats that died of illness to prevent transmission of anthrax.

Slaughtering sick or dead livestock, according to her, poses a risk of anthrax transmission.

"This causes the Anthrax bacteria that live in the blood to come into contact with the air and form a protection so that it is more easily transmitted", she said, adding, "So far, people have chosen to slaughter sick or dead cattle because they don't want to lose money."