Uganda Issues Anthrax Alert Over Terrorism

BY Charles Wendo THE Ministry of Health has issued an anthrax alert following growing fears world-wide that terrorists stuff envelopes with anthrax germs and spread them through postal systems. The public has been advised to be careful when handling suspicious mail and health workers throughout the country have been told to look out for anthrax. An emergency response team is on standby at the ministry headquarters. The director general of health services, Prof. Francis Omaswa, told The New Vision yesterday that so far no cases of bioterrorism-related anthrax have been reported in Uganda. But he said such an attack cannot be ruled out. He said anthrax occurs naturally in Uganda and it can break out even without a terrorist attack. He said the emergency response team would “swing into action” in case of any anthrax outbreak. He asked health workers countrywide to be on the look-out for anthrax when examining patients. The symptoms include high fever, skin sores, swollen lymph glands, flu-like signs, difficult breathing, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting of blood and severe diarrhoea. “It is quite a lethal disease. The toxin of anthrax is one of the most potent poisons known,” Omaswa said. The Uganda Posts Limited spokesperson, Rosette Nakanwagi, said yesterday they had not received any reports of bioterrorism mail in Uganda. She said management was discussing a contingency plan. Naturally anthrax breaks out among human beings who handle or consume infected animals. However, terrorists have learnt how to start the epidemic artificially by distributing powders concentrated with anthrax germs. Omaswa said people who become ill should seek immediate treatment whether or not they suspect anthrax. He said anthrax victims who receive early treatment had higher chances of surviving. The alert comes two weeks after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned countries of a possible bioterrorism attack. WHO yesterday said it had placed its world surveillance network on the alert though anthrax was reported only in the US. Ends