BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Health – Cordillera Administrative Region (DoH-CAR) yesterday reported an alarming 53 cases of Anthrax Disease by the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the government agency.
In its report, the cases were all from Lagangilang, Abra where male victims were predominantly affected with 36/67.9 % ratio. The age ranged from one year old to eighty three years of age with a median of 18 years old.
DoH-CAR said that clustering of cases were noted in Barangay Cayapa, Lagangilang and Abra and have already conducted on-site investigation with the Field Epidemiology Program of the Epidemiology Bureau and other local authorities.
DoH Nurse and representative Ms. Geeny Anne Austria explains that Anthrax is an acute bacterial disease that usually affects the skin but may also involve the oropharynx, mediastinum or the gastrointestinal tract, spreading through zoonosis from infected animals like cattle, sheep, goats, buffalos, pigs and other humans by direct contact or through animal products. (Larry P. Fabian)