Caitlyn Stulpin , 2025-05-01 19:00:00
Key takeaways:
- Early concerns of an anthrax outbreak were sparked by the deaths of dozens of buffaloes and hippos.
- More than 20 suspected human cases and one death have been reported in the Congo and Uganda.
An anthrax outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has left one person and dozens of animals dead, health officials said.
To date, one confirmed and 16 suspected human cases have been reported in the outbreak, which is occurring in Kivu province, in northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to WHO.
Data derived from WHO.
The outbreak is linked to an ongoing anthrax outbreak in Uganda, where an additional seven suspected human cases have been reported in the Kabale District, WHO said.
Health officials initially became concerned about a potential anthrax outbreak after the deaths of dozens of buffaloes and hippopotamuses in the DRC’s Virunga National Park. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the deaths of 52 hippopotamuses and seven buffaloes were reported by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature in the Lake Edward sector of Virunga National Park as of April 18.
WHO said it is helping the two countries coordinate their response to the outbreaks, which includes vaccinating livestock in communities near rivers while veterinary teams safely dispose of animal carcasses to avoid additional infections.
There are human vaccines for anthrax, but their supply is limited and they are primarily recommended for groups at increased risk for exposure because of their jobs, such as lab workers, WHO noted.
“Our efforts are focused on swiftly breaking the animal-to-human transmission,” Boureima Hama Sambo, MD, PhD, MPH, WHO representative in the DRC, said in a press release. “We’re working closely with the government, communities and partners to strengthen response measures to protect public health now and in the future.”
Anthrax has three forms of human infection — all of which require prompt medical attention and hospitalization, according to WHO. These are: cutaneous anthrax, which occurs when spores come into contact with broken skin; gastrointestinal anthrax, which is caused by eating infected meat; and inhalation anthrax, which results from breathing in spores.
WHO has not confirmed which form of anthrax is causing the ongoing outbreaks but said officials are investigating the cause and modes of transmission.
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Disclosures:
No products or companies that would require financial disclosure are mentioned in this article.
