Authorities in Zambia have warned people not to consume meat from wildlife carcasses after an anthrax outbreak killed dozens of animals in Muchinga province. The affected animals include hippos, elephants, buffaloes and a crocodile.
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit said 46 hippos, eight elephants, five buffaloes and one crocodile had died since July in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area. A unit official said over the weekend that 12 people had been infected after eating meat from dead wildlife in the Munyamadzi River area. All 12 are receiving treatment, and no human deaths have been reported.
National coordinator Norman Chipakupaku said the carcasses were eaten by local people who depend on wildlife for food. Officials have urged the public not to consume, sell, distribute or handle meat from animals that died suddenly or from suspected anthrax, and to report such cases.
Authorities have also called for hunting in the affected area to be suspended while they establish the extent of the disease and assess associated risks. Surveillance and laboratory investigations remain under way, and officials have not yet determined the outbreak’s full geographical range.
Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium whose spores can remain in soil for years. It mainly affects grazing animals and can cause sudden death. Humans can become infected through contact with contaminated animal products, including meat.
Anthrax is endemic in Zambia, but human fatalities are uncommon, according to the BBC. A 2023 outbreak was described as unprecedented, killing four people and spreading to nine of the country’s 10 provinces. In 2011, more than 500 cases were reported and five people died after eating meat from infected hippos.