DHAKA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people have contracted anthrax in the latest outbreak in a village of Bangladesh's central Tangail district, an official said Wednesday.
The Health Ministry official who asked to be unnamed told Xinhua that the new cases were detected on Tuesday after at least 127 people have been infected by the disease in Tangail's neighboring two districts -- Sirajganj and Pabna -- late last month.
Infection of the villagers of Tangail, some 92 km northwest of capital Dhaka, has caused wound-like lesions in the body, he said, adding that usually the infected parts start rotting if not treated properly.
The villagers were infected as they were involved in chopping and distribution of meat of an ailing cow which has been found to be infected with anthrax, the official said.
Anthrax outbreak in Bangladesh was confirmed last Wednesday after 46 samples collected from some villages of Sirajganj and Pabna districts were tested positive.
Anthrax is a highly contagious disease, usually transmitted on people through contact with meat, blood or skin of infected animals.Infection in humans most often involves the skin, the gastrointestinal tract or the lungs.
