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New outbreak of anthrax registered in Altai Territory

One man has fallen ill. His life is out of danger

BARNAUL, November 8 (Itar-Tass) — In Altai Territory, a new outbreak of anthrax has been registered in Bystry Istok (swift streamhead) Village. One man has fallen ill. His life is out of danger, a source at Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision) said on Thursday.

According to the Federal Service data, a cow had to be slaughtered in one of households. No veterinary-sanitary expert examination of the cow prior to slaughter was made by the state veterinary service of the Altai Territory. Part of beef for sale was sent out to Biisk.

"At the end of October, the cow owner who slaughtered the cow was rushed to the infections ward of the Biisk hospital where he was diagnosed to be ill with antrax. The patient is undergoing medical treatment. His condition has stabilized and his life is out of peril," the Rosselkhoznadzor source said.

The Altai Territorial veterinary laboratory confirmed the diagnosis. An anthrax spores-polluted pasture, where cattle were grazing, is the supposed source of the infection. No other sick animals have been revealed.

"The personnel of the Rosselkhoznadzor department for Altai Territory and the Altai Republic, and the state veterinary service of Altai Territory are carrying out the necessary procedures. The remainder of the beef and the intencines have been collected and destroyed. The vaccination of the cattle stock susceptible to anthrax is under way in the hazard zone," the Federal Service source pointed out.

Earlier, another outbreak of anthrax was recorded in Altai Territory in August. Shepherd Alexei Levin, 39, from Druzhba (friendship) Village of Tselinny (new ground) District, was the first to be infected. The man dissected the sick cow on his own in order to find out the cause of its death. This cost him his life. This was the only case that ended in fatality during the anthrax outbreak in Altai Territory. Another 13 people were hospitalized with suspicion of being ill with anthrax.

Antrax is a particularly dangerous infectious disease of farm and wild animals of all kinds, as well as humans. The disease develops as a skin affection or in a septic form.