Cooch Behar, Feb. 4: Animal diseases seem to be stalking Bengal with the district administration here announcing that the anthrax bacteria was detected in cows that died in Mathabhanga subdivision recently.

Cooch Behar district magistrate Rajesh Kumar Sinha said today that a family in Bhojanerchhara village, 34km from here, lost five cows last Friday. “We had collected the samples and sent them to the animal resource development (ARD) laboratory in Cooch Behar for tests. The result was positive for anthrax.”

Sinha said another family in the same village had lost one cow to the disease. At Jotpatki, in Mathabhanga, seven more cows had died on January 31 and February 1. Samples of these animals, too, have been sent for tests. “Given the situation, we have decided to vaccinate cattle in the area from tomorrow,” he added.

ARD sources said all the dead cows were suffering from fever and died after bleeding from the mouth, typical symptoms of cattle infected with the anthrax bacillus.

“The dead animals have been buried more than eight feet underground,” said Tapan Roy, the deputy director of the ARD in Cooch Behar.

Cows infected with anthrax bacteria do not survive for long and stop giving milk. “There is no cause for panic, but care should be taken not to eat contaminated beef,” an official of the department said (See chart).

In June last year, two persons died of anthrax in Murshidabad after being admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Calcutta. Thirty-two others were infected.

In humans — if it is a case of cutaneous anthrax — symptoms may include ulcers and swelling of lymph glands in the surrounding area. Inhalation anthrax may resemble a common cold leading to breathing problems and shock. Nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, vomiting blood and severe diarrhoea are symptoms of intestinal anthrax.

Sec 144 in Itahar

The North Dinajpur administration has imposed Section 144 in Itahar block as the district gears up for a mop-up operation to search for hidden poultry. The subdivisional officer of Raiganj, Asoke Kumar Das, said this afternoon that the order issued yesterday was for 56 villages.

“We apprehend that there might be an attempt to smuggle out poultry by people travelling in groups. So the assembly of more than five persons has been prohibited,” said Das. He said the order has been conveyed to local panchayats and announced over the public address system.