Anthrax Outbreak Continues To Spread Across Romania

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Anthrax Outbreak Continues To Spread Across Romania

BUCHAREST, Jul 29, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) An outbreak of anthrax that struck the Danube river delta region earlier this month has spread to two other districts, a medical source said Friday.

One person has been hospitalized in the north-eastern district of Vasuli, and two persons in the central Hunedoara district.

The three were involved in slaughtering animals that had not been vaccinated against the disease, according to the source.

In the city of Deva, the capital of the Hunedoara district, authorities have increased the concentration of chlorine in the municipal water system after the carcass of a cow that had died from the disease was found upriver.

In the eastern Danube river delta region, the center of the outbreak, two people have already died from the disease and 28 people are hospitalized. All of the victims were breeders of animals.

More than one hundred animals have succumbed to the disease, and infections have been registered in the towns of Mahmudia, Pardina, Agighiol, Murighiol, Balteni and Tulcea, the district capital.

The Romanian health ministry has prohibited camping in the wild, a popular summer pastime in the Danube river delta. But other forms of tourism including camping have been allowed to continue.

The Romanian government has granted five billion lei (269,000 euros, 250,000 dollars) to combat the outbreak and demanded that preventative measures be taken throughout the country.

Anthrax in humans causes vomiting, diarrhea and fever, and can be fatal if not properly treated. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)

http://www.centraleurope.com/romaniatoday/news.php3?id=183972

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), July 30, 2000


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