At least seven persons died of suspected anthrax in the past two months at Tungri Tola basti in Simdega district, a senior health official said.
In the presence of Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraborty here today, Director Medical Services Dr Suman Mishra said, "Seven persons had died in two months."
Dr Ramesh Prasad, Director of State Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, said samples were sent to Delhi for pathological test to confirm whether the deaths were caused by anthrax.
He said two persons died on October 18, and the symptoms on the bodies suggested anthrax.
"The people, mostly tribals, said when a couple of bullocks died they ate their meat," Prasad said.
Thereafter, they were afflicted with symptoms later on, Prasad said, adding the basti has a total of about 23 families.
The victims also vomited blood, complained chest and stomach ache after consuming the animal meat, he added.
"The symptoms showed that the disease is in the category that is curable," he added.
The chief secretary, who visited the place today, said preventive measures were taken like providing antibiotics to the people of the basti, keeping kerosene and wood to burn cattle carcasses and restricting cattle from moving to adjoining areas.
