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LIMA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian health authorities have confirmed 32 human anthrax cases in the northwestern city of Piura, the region's health director said Monday.
Jesus Juarez said 49 human cases of anthrax have been reported in the city, 972 km north of the capital Lima. The verified ones have shown typical symptoms of anthrax.
The authorities also confirmed that 90 percent of the anthrax cases had physical contracts with infected livestock.
Local health workers have been sent to identify potential cases among residents. They were taking tests on the samples from suspected ones.
The Piura region has also seen the death of six animals from anthrax over the past month, which set alarm among local residents.
The Peruvian government has been monitoring all cases to take preventive measures to stop the spread of anthrax.
Anthrax has made periodical appearance in the state of Piura. The regional health authorities issued an epidemic alert in 2008.
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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military faces pressure both at home and abroad to correct safety lapses in its anthrax shipment process as Congress held a hearing Tuesday to investigate the issue.
A probe by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) released on July 24 found that a U.S. military lab in Utah had failed to neutralize live anthrax spores and shipped the toxic samples to researchers in 86 laboratories in the country and seven other nations over the past decade. Full story
