Africa: Malawi, Uganda and Zambia report new human anthrax cases
Nearly 1,200 totals cases reported in four African Union Member States
Malawi, Uganda and Zambia reported 105 new human anthrax cases, including 16 additional deaths, according to Africa CDC data.
Malawi
Last month, the Malawi Ministry of Health reported one confirmed case and no deaths of anthrax from Mzimba South district, Northern region.
The case presented with cutaneous eschars and had history of consumption of dead animals suspected to have died of anthrax. The last outbreak of anthrax in Malawi occurred in December 2018 involving 39 deaths among hippopotami.
Uganda
In a follow-up on my report on an unknown illness outbreak in Uganda, Health officials confirmed an human anthrax outbreak in Kyotera district, central Uganda.
Cumulatively, 38 cases (6 confirmed; 32 suspected) and 16 deaths of anthrax have been reported from Kween (5 cases; 0 deaths) and Kyotera (33; 16) districts. In addition, at least 25 cattle deaths have been reported in Kyotera district within the same period. All the reported deaths are among suspected cases.
Zambia
In a follow-up on the human anthrax outbreak in Zambia, the MoH reported 71 new suspected cases and no new deaths of human anthrax from seven provinces since November 10, according to African CDC data.
Cumulatively, 775 cases (25 confirmed; 730 suspected) and four deaths of cutaneous anthrax have been reported this year from nine of 10 provinces in Zambia. All the reported four deaths were among suspected cases.
Since the beginning of this year, a total of 1,178 human cases (32 confirmed; 1,146 suspected), 20 deaths among suspected cases and no confirmed deaths of anthrax have been reported in four African Union Member States (AU MS): Malawi (1 human case; 0 deaths), Uganda (38; 16), Zambia (755; 4) and Zimbabwe (384; 0). Three AU MS (Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda) have reported anthrax outbreaks in animals this year.
Anthrax is a zoonotic bacterial infection and can spread to humans through inhalation, handling, eating and drinking foods contaminated with bacterial spores. Clinical presentations may vary from cutaneous, inhalation, gastrointestinal and injection types of anthrax. The average CFR ranges from 20% - 30% in cutaneous anthrax without antibiotic treatment and 25% - 75% for gastrointestinal anthrax, 80% or higher in inhalation anthrax.