The government lifted on Thursday the ‘red alert’ on anthrax it had issued a month back in the backdrop of an outbreak infecting cattle and human beings.
The government withdrew the alert to remove ‘unnecessary fear’ of the disease among the people, the minister for fisheries and livestock, Abdul Latif Biswas, told a news briefing at his office.
‘The red alert meant for the livestock officials and employees alone,’ he said, ‘has been misinterpreted to the people forcing them to avoid meats and milk, leaving a widespread impact on cattle farmers and traders.’
The red alert resulted in a drastic fall in consumption of beef, mutton and milk besides virtually halting cattle trade and drying up supply to hides and skin to the leather industry in the country.
He said that a total of 104 cattle were infected by anthrax from July 1 to September 30 this year, compared to 449 9n 2009 and 437 in 2008.
He said that over publicity given to anthrax this time alarmed the people about the disease, which is like many other animal diseases.
‘The red alert stands withdrawn from today,’ he said, ‘as the situation came under control, following steps taken by the government’s since anthrax infection in cattle was first detected on August 18 at Sirajganj.’
But he asked the livestock and other government agency officials and employees to keep up their vigil and continue to discharge their responsibilities with utmost sincerity to control anthrax infection.
On September 5, the livestock minister had issued the red alert and directed the livestock directorate, civil surgeons and other relevant offices to keep watch until the situation was brought under control.
He said that no fresh case of anthrax infection was reported since September 18.
He said that primarily anthrax infects cattle.
He said that humans can get infected if they come in contact with the infected cattle or they eat the meat of infected cattle, but it does not spread from human to human.
The minister said adequate supply of vaccines had been sent to all the districts with a clear instruction to complete cattle vaccination in the affected districts a month before the Eid-ul-Azha, to be celebrated in the third week of November.
On September 20, the government appointed steering committees in all administrative tiers, from the national to the lowest, across the country to check the spread of anthrax infection in cattle and humans well ahead of the Eid.
The government took move in the backdrop of anthrax outbreak in several districts of the country, virtually halting the sale of beef, mutton and cattle, drying up the supply of hides and skin to the country’s leather industry.
Butchers and cattle traders, who were suddenly thrown out of business, accused the government of spreading panic among the consumers.
Approximately, 600 people across the country have been reported infected in the districts of Sirajganj, Pabna, Tangail, Kushtia, Gazipur, Naraynaganj, Thakurgaon and Kishoreganj, according to official estimates.
