NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The appearance of two almost simultaneous outbreaks of anthrax (in Ciudad Real and Badajoz) have set off veterinary alarms. The first of the outbreaks, registered in the La Mancha town of Poblete, affected 26 cows, and all those that were infected ended up dying, reported the Veterinary Health Alert Network (Rasve) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).

Bacillus anthracis bacteria
Image/CDC

As Spain reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), this first outbreak was considered controlled on September 3. The OIE suspects that its origin may be related to the passage of animals through a pasture area usually covered by the Guadiana River, which has been discovered by the drought.

At the moment, the outbreak that remains open to date is located in six outbreaks registered in Navalvillar de Pela and in Talarrubia (Badajoz), where 12 horses have already died. The Don Benito y Villanueva de la Serena Health Area Management of the Extremadura Ministry of Health has issued an epidemiological alert after the appearance in the area of ​​several possible cases of anthrax, both in animals and in humans.

From the Cáceres Veterinary College they confirm that although there are several cases under suspicion, they still have no official communication of any kind , beyond the first horse that was sent to the Faculty for an autopsy. Thus, they also confirm that the infected veterinarian has already left the hospital after spending, together with other colleagues, a preventive hospital admission.